The Seed Potatoes (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2008

Statutory Instruments

2008 No. 560

Plant Health

The Seed Potatoes (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2008

Made

25th February 2008

Laid before Parliament

5th March 2008

Coming into force

6th April 2008

The Secretary of State, in whom the powers conferred by section 16(1) of the Plant Varieties and Seeds Act 1964(1) are now vested,(2) makes the following Regulations in exercise of those powers.

In accordance with that section, the Secretary of State has consulted with representatives of such interests as appear to the Secretary of State to be concerned with the following Regulations.

Title and commencement U.K.

1.  These Regulations may be cited as the Seed Potatoes (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2008 and come into force on 6th April 2008.

Amendments U.K.

2.—(1) The Seed Potatoes (England) Regulations 2006(3) are amended as follows.

(2) In Schedule 3, in Group IV of Part II and in Group IV of Part III—

(a) in column 1, under “Common Scab (Streptomyces species)” for “one-quarter” substitute “one-third”; and

(b) in column 2, replace the figure opposite “Common Scab (Streptomyces species)” with “5.0%”.

Jeff Rooker

Minister of State

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

25th February 2008

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Seed Potatoes (England) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/1161) so as to amend the tolerances for Common Scab (Streptomyces species) as follows—

(a) to increase the individual tolerance on pre-basic seed potatoes of pre-basic 1, pre-basic 2, pre-basic 3 or pre-basic 4 class and on basic seed potatoes and certified seed potatoes to 5%; and

(b) to increase the proportion of surface area which can be affected from one-quarter to one-third.

A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no impact on the private or voluntary sectors is foreseen.

(1)

1964 c. 14; section 16 was amended by section 4(1) of, and paragraph 5(1), (2) and (3) of Schedule 4 to, the European Communities Act 1972 (c. 68), S.I. 1977/1112, and section 2 of the Agriculture Act 1986 (c. 49); see section 38(1) for a definition of “the Minister”.

(2)

Under the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Dissolution) Order 2002 (S.I. 2002/794) the functions of the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food under the Plant Varieties and Seeds Act 1964 which remained vested in that Minister at the date of the Order were transferred to the Secretary of State.

(3)

S.I. 2006/1161.