The Welfare of Animals (Transport) Order 1997

Specific and general authorisations

1.—(1) An authorisation may be—

(a) a specific authorisation, that is, an authorisation issued by the Minister to a transporter named in the authorisation on an application made by him, which covers such activities as are described in the authorisation, or

(b) a general authorisation, that is, an authorisation issued by the Minister which does not name individual transporters and which covers such transporters resident in Great Britain (or, in the case of a body corporate, incorporated in Great Britain) and such activities as are described in the authorisation.

(2) After 1st October 1997 a specific authorisation shall be required for any transporter who transports cattle, sheep, pigs, goats and horses, except for those transporters concerned only with journeys of less than 8 hours in road vehicles.

(3) A specific authorisation may be amended or revoked by the Minister by notice in writing served on the transporter to whom the authorisation was granted.

(4) A general authorisation may be amended or revoked by publication in such manner as the Minister shall see fit.

(5) In the case of a general authorisation the Minister may, by notice in writing served on a transporter, either exclude that transporter from the operation of a general authorisation, or impose additional conditions on that transporter which differ from the conditions in the general authorisation.

(6) A specific authorisation shall not be issued to more than one transporter.

(7) The fact that a transporter is covered by a general authorisation in respect of certain activities does not prevent a specific authorisation being issued to him in respect of those activities.

(8) If a transporter has been issued with a specific authorisation, he shall cease to be covered by any aspect of the general authorisation in relation to the animals covered by the specific authorisation, and he shall not be permitted to carry out any transport of those animals except under the authority of a specific authorisation; and if a specific authorisation is revoked, or limited in any way, then the transporter who held the authorisation shall not be entitled to transport the animals covered by that specific authorisation under the authority of the general authorisation.

(9) Notice shall be given of the issue of any general authorisation in such form as the Minister shall see fit.