HL Deb 22 October 1968 vol 296 cc1455-6

[No. 21]

After Clause 105, insert the following new clause:

Special enforcement and sampling provisions relating to animal feeding stuffs

".—(1) For the purposes of the application of the provisions of sections 104 (Application of sampling procedure to substance or article seized under s. 104) and (Analysis of samples in other cases) of this Act in relation to animal feeding stuffs, regulations made by the Agriculture Ministers may provide that any of those provisions specified in the regulations shall have effect subject to such modifications as may be so specified.

(2) Regulations made by the Agriculture Ministers—

  1. (a) may make provision as to the manner in which samples may be taken by virtue of the provisions of section 104 of this Act as modified by any regulations made under the preceding subsection, as to the manner in which samples may be set aside or substances or articles may be treated as samples, by virtue of the provisions of section (Application of sampling procedure to substance or article seized under s. 104) of this Act as so modified, or as to the manner in which samples may be submitted for analysis by virtue of the provisions of section (Analysis of samples in other cases) of this Act as so modified, and
  2. (b) in relation to samples so taken, set aside or submitted for analysis, or substances or articles so treated as samples, may make provision (either in substitution for, or by way of modification of or addition to. any of the provisions of Schedule 3 to this Act) as to the manner in which such samples, substances and articles are to be dealt with.

(3) In relation to the incorporation in animal feeding stuffs of substances or articles of any description or class specified in an order made under this subsection by the Agriculture Ministers, so much of any licence granted or animal test certificate issued under Part II of this Act as imposes any restriction or requirement by reference to the quantity to be incorporated, or the proportion in which any substance or article may be incorporated, in any animal feeding stuff shall not to be taken to be contravened in any particular case if the discrepancy does not exceed such limit as may be specified by the order in relation to substances or articles of that description or class.

(4) In section 105(2)(b) of this Act the reference to section 104 of this Act shall be construed as including a reference to the provisions of that section as modified by any regulations made under this section.

(5) The powers conferred by subsection (2) of this section shall be exercisable in addition to any power exercisable by virtue of paragraph 25 of Schedule 3 to this Act."

The Commons agreed to this Amendment but proposed the following Amendments thereto:—

[Nos. 22 and 23]

Line 27, at end insert— "() For the purposes of proceedings for such offences under this Act relating to animal feeding stuffs as may be prescribed by regulations made under subsection (2) of this section, the regulations may—

  1. (a) prescribe a method of analysis to be used in analysing samples of animal feeding stuffs in order to determine what quantity or proportion (if any) of a substance or article of a description or class specified in the regulations has been incorporated in them, and
  2. (b) provide that, on production in the proceedings of such evidence as may be so prescribed of the results of an analysis of a sample performed by the method so prescribed, evidence of the results of any analysis of any part of the sample performed by any other method shall not be admissible in those proceedings."

Line 38, at end insert— "() Where a label or mark on a container or package containing any animal feeding stuff, or a leaflet supplied or to be supplied with any animal feeding stuff, specifies a quantity or proportion of a medicinal product of a particular description as being incorporated in the animal feeding stuff, section 83(2) of this Act shall not he taken to be contravened by reason only that the quantity or proportion actually incorporated in the animal feeding, stuff is greater or less than that so specified, if the discrepancy does not exceed such limit as the Agriculture Ministers may by order specify in relation to medicinal products of that description, or in relation to a class of medicinal products which includes medicinal products of that description."