PART 4REGISTRATION OF PLANT TRADERS AND AUTHORITY TO ISSUE PLANT PASSPORTS
Authority to issue plant passports29.
(1)
Where registered plant traders wish to issue plant passports in relation to any relevant material to be moved from their premises they shall apply to the Scottish Ministers for the authority to do so.
(2)
An application under paragraph (1) must be in writing, must give such notice as the Scottish Ministers may reasonably specify to allow them to undertake any necessary examination of the premises to which the application relates and of any relevant material there and must contain such particulars in relation to the relevant material produced, grown, stored or otherwise present on those premises as the Scottish Ministers may from time to time reasonably require.
(3)
The Scottish Ministers shall grant an authority under paragraph (1) only if, having regard to any examination of the premises to which the application relates and of any relevant material there, they are satisfied–
(a)
that the premises and relevant material are free from any relevant organisms; and
(b)
where any requirements are specified under this Order in relation to the relevant material, those requirements have been complied with.
(4)
The Scottish Ministers' authority to issue plant passports shall be given in writing and may be granted subject to such conditions as they consider appropriate to ensure that the relevant requirements of this Order are complied with, including a condition limiting any territories in which such plant passports shall be valid.
(5)
The Scottish Ministers may suspend the operation of an authority to issue plant passports entirely or in relation to specified premises or relevant material if, having regard to any examination of any premises of the registered plant trader and any relevant material there, they are not satisfied that–
(a)
the premises or the relevant material are free from any relevant organisms; or
(b)
where any requirements are specified under this Order in relation to the relevant material, those requirements have been complied with.
(6)
The Scottish Ministers may suspend the operation of or vary to the extent they consider necessary an authority to issue plant passports if they are satisfied that the registered plant trader has–
(a)
failed to comply with any of the conditions specified in article 28(1);
(b)
failed to notify the Scottish Ministers in accordance with article 27(3) of any change in the particulars listed in the register with respect to that plant trader;
(c)
failed to comply with a requirement in a notice served on the plant trader under article 32; or
(d)
failed to comply with any conditions in the authority issued by the Scottish Ministers under paragraph (4).
(7)
For the purposes of this article “relevant organism” means–
(a)
any plant pest specified in Schedule 1; or
(b)
in relation to relevant material of a description specified in Schedule 2, any plant pest of a description specified in that Schedule opposite the reference to that relevant material.