29.—(1) Local authorities or officers of the Scottish Minsters may exempt market and slaughterhouse operators from the need to record—
(a)an animal’s unique number on a movement document;
(b)an animal’s unique number in a holding register; or
(c)the numbers of animals in any batch bearing a particular flockmark or herdmark,
where a contingency plan has been agreed between the local authority and the market or slaughterhouse operator.
(2) A contingency plan agreed under paragraph (1) must set out the conditions which must be met by the market or a slaughterhouse operator and the circumstances in which, provided those conditions are met, the exemptions in paragraph (1) will apply.
(3) A contingency plan agreed under paragraph (1) must require a market or slaughterhouse operator to obtain the consent of the local authority on every occasion when that market or slaughterhouse operator wishes to apply the exemptions in paragraph (1).