Issue of licences
4.—(1) No person shall use any premises as a slaughterhouse, cutting premises, a cold store or a re-wrapping centre unless those premises are currently licensed.
(2) Without prejudice to paragraphs (5), (6), (7) and (9) below, the Minister on application made to him under this regulation—
(a)shall license the premises to which the application relates as—
(i)a slaughterhouse if either—
(aa)the Minister is satisfied that the premises comply with the requirements of Schedules 1 and 2; or
(bb)the occupier of the premises has agreed a work plan with the Minister to carry out and complete works at the premises necessary to comply with the requirements of Schedules 1 and 2 on or before 1st August 1996, and those premises were, before 1st April 1995, exempt under regulation 3 of the 1994 Regulations,
and (in either case) the Minister is satisfied that the method of operation in those premises complies with the requirements of Schedules 6 to 9;
(ii)a low throughput slaughterhouse if either—
(aa)the Minister is satisfied that it complies with the requirements of Parts I and II of Schedule 5; or
(bb)the occupier of the premises has agreed a work plan with the Minister to carry out and complete works at the premises necessary to comply with the requirements of Parts I and II of Schedule 5 on or before 1st August 1996, and those premises were, before 1st April 1995, exempt under regulation 3 of the 1994 Regulations,
and (in either case) the Minister is satisfied that the method of operation in those premises complies with the requirements of Schedules 6 to 9;
(iii)cutting premises if either—
(aa)the Minister is satisfied that the premises comply with the requirements of Schedules 1 and 3; or
(bb)the occupier of the premises has agreed a work plan with the Minister to carry out and complete works at the premises necessary to comply with the requirements of Schedules 1 and 3 on or before 1st August 1996 and those premises were, before 1st April 1995, exempt under regulation 3 of the 1994 Regulations,
and (in either case) the Minister is satisfied that the method of operation in those premises complies with the requirements of Schedules 6 and 10;
(iv)low throughput cutting premises if either—
(aa)the Minister is satisfied that they comply with the requirements of Part I of Schedule 5; or
(bb)the occupier of the premises has agreed a work plan with the Minister to carry out and complete works at the premises necessary to comply with the requirements of Part I of Schedule 5 on or before 1st August 1996, and those premises were, before 1st April 1995, exempt under regulation 3 of the 1994 Regulations,
and (in either case) the Minister is satisfied that the method of operation in those premises complies with the requirements of Schedules 6 and 10;
(v)a cold store if the Minister is satisfied that the premises comply with the requirements of Schedules 1 and 4 and that the method of operation in those premises complies with the requirements of Schedules 6 and 12;
(vi)a re-wrapping centre if the Minister is satisfied that the premises comply with the requirements of Schedule 1 and that the method of operation in those premises complies with the requirements of Schedules 6, 12 and 13; and
(b)shall refuse so to license those premises if the Minister is not so satisfied.
(3) Each application for a licence under this regulation shall be made in writing to the Minister by the occupier of the premises to which the application relates.
(4) The Minister shall notify the occupier in writing of his decision on each application for a licence under this regulation and of the reasons for any refusal to license such premises.
(5) Any licence granted in respect of any premises under this regulation shall be subject to the condition that any significant alteration to the premises or the equipment in those premises or the method of operation in those premises shall comply with the provisions of these Regulations.
(6) In granting a licence in respect of any premises under this regulation the Minister may make that licence subject to conditions in respect of any rabbits or species of bird which shall be slaughtered or handled there.
(7) In granting a licence in respect of a cold store the Minister may make that licence subject to the condition that fresh meat shall be stored only in one or more specified storage chambers or that the cold store shall store only fresh meat which is packaged.
(8) Where the Minister has refused to grant a licence under this regulation or granted a licence subject to any condition imposed pursuant to paragraph (6) or (7) above, the notification under paragraph (4) above shall state the right of appeal to a Meat Hygiene Appeals Tribunal for which provision is made in regulation 6 and the time within which an appeal shall be lodged.
(9) Where delayed evisceration and post-mortem inspection is to be carried out in any cutting premises, those premises shall not be licensed unless the Minister is satisfied that the method of operation in those premises complies with the requirements of Part III of Schedule 5, paragraphs 4 to 14 of Schedule 8 and Schedule 9.