Slaughter-Houses Act (Northern Ireland) 1953

1 Licensing of slaughter-houses. N.I.

(1) The Ministry of Agriculture (in this Act referred to as “the Ministry”) may issue licences in respect of slaughter-houses, subject to such conditions as may be prescribed including (but without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing words) conditions as to the kind or kinds of animal which may be slaughtered in any slaughter-house.

(2) An application for a licence under this section (in this Act referred to as a “licence”) shall be in such form as may be prescribed.

(3) The Ministry, on receiving an application for a licence—

F1 [(a) shall, before issuing the licence, consult the district council for the district in which are situated the premises in respect of which the application is made];

(b) may before issuing the licence cause an inspection to be made by an authorised officer of the premises, plant and equipment proposed to be used for the purposes of the slaughter-house in respect of which the application is made.

(4) An application duly made for the issue of a licence may be refused on the ground that—

(a) the applicant was at any time a licence-holder whose licence has been revoked either by the Ministry under this Act or by a court of summary jurisdiction under any other enactment;

(b) the slaughter-house of the applicant is one in respect of which a licence previously subsisted and has been revoked either by the Ministry or by a court as aforesaid;

(c) the premises used, or proposed to be used, for the purposes of the slaughter-house of the applicant are wholly or partly the same as those used for the purposes of a slaughter-house in respect of which a licence previously subsisted and has been revoked either by the Ministry or by a court as aforesaid;

(d) the applicant is a person who has been convicted of an offence against this Act or any other enactment relating to the regulation of slaughter-houses;

(e) the Ministry is not satisfied that the premises, plant and equipment used for the purposes of the slaughter-house of the applicant comply or, regard being had to any alterations or additions which it is proposed to make respecting the premises or the buildings or plant thereon or the equipment thereof, will be made to comply, with such requirements as shall be prescribed; or

Para. (f) rep. by 1984 NI 2

and, subject to the last preceding sub-section, shall not be refused on any other ground.

(5) A licence shall be in such form as may be prescribed, and shall contain a statement specifying the name and address of the licence-holder and particulars of the premises used for the purposes of the slaughter-house in respect of which it is issued.

(6) A licence shall continue in force until it is revoked or suspended either under section three of this Act or by a court of summary jurisdiction under any other enactment, or is surrendered by the licence-holder.

(7) Subject to the succeeding sub-section, it shall not be lawful for any person to slaughter or cause or permit to be slaughtered for human consumption an animal of any kind except in a slaughter-house duly licensed under this section for the slaughter of animals of that kind, or operated by the Ministry under section eight of this Act.

(8) The Ministry may by order exempt from the provisions of the last preceding sub-section—

(a) the slaughter in any part of Northern Ireland designated in the order of pigs for sale to a person who is a licensed bacon-curer within the meaning of the Agricultural Produce (Meat Regulation) Act (Northern Ireland), 1930 [1930 c.23] F2 ;

(b) the slaughter on farms in any part of Northern Ireland designated in the order of animals, the property of the owner or occupier of the farm on which they are slaughtered, for the purpose of their being consumed in the household of such owner or occupier;

(c) the slaughter of any animal under or by virtue of the[F3 Diseases of Animals (Northern Ireland) Order 1981]F3 ; or

(d) the slaughter of animals whose immediate slaughter becomes necessary or expedient by reason of injury or by reason of infirmity other than disease within the meaning of the[F3 Diseases of Animals (Northern Ireland) Order 1981]F3 ;

and any exemption under this sub-section shall be subject to such conditions as may be specified in the order; and any such order may be varied or revoked by a subsequent order. Every order made under this sub-section shall be published forthwith in the Belfast Gazette.

F1 1977 NI 12

F2 1962 c. 13 (NI)

F3 1981 NI 22