Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984

13 Regulations for control of certain diseases

(1) Subject to the provisions of this section, the Secretary of State may, as respects the whole or any part of England and Wales, including coastal waters, make regulations—

(a) with a view to the treatment of persons affected with any epidemic, endemic or infectious disease and for preventing the spread of such diseases,

(b) for preventing danger to public health from vessels or aircraft arriving at any place, and

(c) for preventing the spread of infection by means of any vessel or aircraft leaving any place, so far as may be necessary or expedient for the purpose of carrying out any treaty, convention, arrangement or engagement with any other country.

(2) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1) above, the Secretary of State may by any such regulations apply, with or without modifications, to any disease to which the regulations relate any enactment (including any enactment in this Act) relating to the notification of disease or to notifiable diseases.

(3) Regulations made under this section may provide for—

(a) the signals to be displayed by vessels or aircraft having on board any case of epidemic, endemic or infectious disease,

(b) the questions to be answered by masters, pilots and other persons on board any vessel or aircraft as to cases of such disease on board during the voyage or on arrival,

(c) requiring persons alighting from aircraft to answer questions pertaining to their state of health or their contact with infection,

(d) the detention of vessels or aircraft and of persons on board them,

(e) the duties to be performed in cases of such diseases by masters, pilots and other persons on board vessels or aircraft,

and may authorise the making of charges and provide for the recovery of such charges and of any expenses incurred in disinfection.

(4) Subject to section 14 below, regulations made under this section—

(a) shall specify the authorities, whether county councils, local authorities, port health authorities, Regional Health Authorities, Area Health Authorities, District Health Authorities or special health authorities, by whom they are to be enforced and executed, and

(b) may also provide for their enforcement and execution by officers of customs and excise,

but, in so far as they apply to officers of customs and excise, the regulations shall require the consent of the Commissioners of Customs and Excise.

(5) Subject to section 14 below, the following persons, that is to say—

(a) authorised officers of any such authority as is specified by the regulations in accordance with subsection (4) (a) above, and

(b) officers of customs and excise, shall have power to enter any premises, vessel or aircraft for the purpose of executing, or superintending the execution of, regulations under this section.

(6) The power to make regulations under this section shall be exercisable by statutory instrument, which shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

(7) Any expenses incurred by a county council under this section shall, if the Secretary of State by order so directs, be defrayed as special expenses charged on such part of the county as may be provided by the order, but such an order may be revoked or varied by a subsequent order.