These Regulations, implement in relation to Scotland the provisions of Council Regulation (EC) No. 1760/2000 concerning older cattle.

They require cattle born before 1st July 1996 (which is when the first cattle passports were issued) which are not already registered on a voluntary basis to be registered before 29th January 2001 (regulation 5).

They require notification of the location of all cattle (which are held in Scotland) with passports without movement cards not already registered and provide for the issue of movement cards (regulation 6). In relation to cattle born before 28th September 1998 (which is when the passports with movement cards were first issued), these Regulations require notification to the Scottish Ministers when these animals are moved. They also provide for the use of electronic notification of movement as an alternative to notification using movement cards, and for a register of approved users of electronic notification (regulations 7 and 8).

They also make provision for the notification of the death of cattle born before 1st July 1996 (regulation 9).

They make provision for powers of inspectors (regulation 10) and provide for an officer of the Scottish Ministers to impose movement restrictions for cattle to which the Regulations relate where there has been a contravention of these Regulations (regulation 11).

They make provision in relation to obstruction of inspectors (regulation 12) and for offences by Scottish partnerships and bodies corporate (regulation 13). Failure to comply with the Regulations is an offence punishable as specified in regulation 14.

They are enforced by the Scottish Ministers or the local authority (regulation 15).

The database and the register of approved users of electronic mail is maintained on a Great Britain wide basis by The British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS), Curwen Road, Workington, Cumbria CA14 2DD. Regulation 3(2) and (3) allows the Scottish Ministers to arrange with the BCMS for it to carry out, on an agency basis, such relevant functions as may be agreed in arrangements made for that purpose.

A Regulatory Impact Assessment has been prepared and has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre. Copies can be obtained from Scottish Executive Rural Development Department, Pentland House, 47 Robb’s Loan, Edinburgh, EH14 1TY.