http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1972/62/section/19Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1972An Act to make new provision for the prevention of diseases suffered or disseminated by animals and to amend the diseases of Animals Act 1950; to amend the law relating to slaughterhouses, to the slaughter of animals in Scotland and to the improvement of live stock; to amend Part II of the Agriculture Act 1967; to make new provision in relation to the Agricultural Marketing Fund and the Agricultural Marketing (Scotland) Fund; to increase the amount which may be advanced under section 2 of the Agriculture Mortgage Corporation Act 1956; to increase the penalties under the Agriculture (Poisonous Substances) Act 1952 and the Agriculture (Safety, Health and Welfare Provisions) Act 1956; to make new provision with respect to arbitrations under the Agricultural Holdings Act 1948; to amend the Cereals Marketing Act 1965; to amend the Corn Returns Act 1882 and the Corn Sales Act 1921; to make new provision for obtaining agricultural statistics; to make further provision as to the use of poison against grey squirrels or coypus; to clarify the Plant Health Act 1967 as respects the recovery of expenses incurred by an authority exercising default powers under orders made by virtue of that Act; to abolish agricultural executive committees and certain other committees having functions in relation to agriculture or apiculture; to confer powers on the Secretary of State in relation to certain parks and other land in Scotland; to repeal paragraph (f) of Case 14 in Schedule 3 to the Rent Act 1968 and paragraph (f) of Case 15 in Schedule 3 to the Rent (Scotland) Act 1971; and for purposes connected with those matters.1972-12-31texttext/xmlenStatute Law Database2025-07-29Expert Participation2025-06-16 191The relevant Minister may, by an order made for the purposes of this section and applying either to the whole of Great Britain or to any specified part or area thereof, specify a poison for use for the purpose of destroying grey squirrels or coypus and the manner of its use for that purpose; and it shall be a defence in proceedings for an offence against any of the enactments mentioned in subsection (2) of this section to show that—athe act alleged to constitute the offence was done for the purpose of destroying grey squirrels or coypus and was done at a time when, and in a place where, such an order had effect; andbthe poison used and the manner of its use were such as to comply with the provisions of the order.2The said enactments are section 8(b) of the Protection of Animals Act 1911, section 7(b) of the Protection of Animals (Scotland) Act 1912 (which restrict the placing on land of poison and poisoned substances) and so much of section 5(1)(a) of the Protection of Birds Act 1954 as relates to poisoned or poisonous substances.3The relevant Minister shall not make an order for the purposes of this section except after such consultation as he considers appropriate with such organisations as appear to him to represent the interests concerned and unless a draft of the order has been laid before, and approved by a resolution of, each House of Parliament.4Any order made for the purposes of this section may make different provision in relation to grey squirrels and in relation to coypus; and the power to make orders for the purposes of this section shall be exercisable by statutory instrument and shall include power to vary or revoke a previous order.5In this section “the relevant Minister” means—ain the case of an order which does not apply outside England, the Minister;bin the case of an order which does not apply outside Scotland, the Secretary of State for Scotland;cin the case of an order which applies both in England and in Scotland but not in Wales, the Minister and the Secretary of State for Scotland acting jointly;din the case of an order which applies in Wales or both in England and Wales but not (in either case) in Scotland, the Minister and the Secretary of State for Wales acting jointly; andein the case of an order which applies in England, Scotland and Wales, the Minister and those Secretaries of State acting jointly.For the purposes of this subsection Monmouthshire shall be treated as part of Wales and not of England.6This section is without prejudice to any defence available apart from this section in proceedings for any such offence as is mentioned in subsection (1) of this section; and nothing in this section shall be construed as conferring any exemption from any provision contained in or having effect under any enactment not mentioned in subsection (2) of this section.S. 19: certain functions of Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food transferred by S.I. 1978/272, art. 2S. 19: transfer of functions, property, rights and liabilities (27.12.1999) by S.I. 1999/3141, arts. 2(1)(5), 4, Sch. (with arts. 3, 5)1911 c. 27. 1912 c. 14. 1954 c. 30