The Surplus Food Regulations 1995

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations, which apply throughout the United Kingdom, come into force on 20th February 1995. They supplement provisions of Council Regulation (EEC) No. 3730/87 which lays down general rules for the supply of food from intervention stocks to designated organizations for distribution to the most deprived persons in the Community and of Commission Regulation (EEC) No. 3149/92 (as amended) which lays down detailed rules for the supply of food from intervention stocks for the benefit of the most deprived persons in the Community.

The Regulations—

(a) confer on authorised officers of an enforcement authority power to enter land or vehicles, to inspect premises and any surplus food found on them, to require the production of records or documents and the supply of information, to inspect and take copies of records and documents and to seize and retain records, documents and surplus food (regulation 3);

(b) create offences of furnishing false information, selling surplus food and distributing surplus food to persons who are not eligible recipients as defined in the regulations (regulation 4); and

(c) specify time limits for bringing prosecutions and provide a defence of due diligence (regulations 5 and 6).

No compliance cost assessment has been prepared as these are enforcement regulations which do not impose an administrative burden on businesses.