Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1968



Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1968

1968 CHAPTER 34

An Act to make further provision with respect to the welfare of livestock; to provide for additional payments for certain tenants of agricultural holdings who receive compensation for disturbance in respect of their holdings or whose land is acquired or taken possession of compulsorily or whose landlords resume possession of the land for non-agricultural purposes; to make further provision with respect to the termination of tenancies of agricultural holdings in Scotland acquired by succession; to make further provision for England and Wales with respect to drainage charges, drainage rates and grants and advances to drainage authorities; to provide for payments in respect of bacon and grants in respect of break crops and the supply of water to certain buildings; to make further provision with respect to the compensation of tenants of agricultural holdings whose land is acquired or taken possession of compulsorily; to amend section 3 of the Parks Regulation (Amendment) Act 1926, the Agricultural Wages Act 1948 and the Agricultural Wages (Scotland) Act 1949, the Restrictive Trade Practices Act 1956 in its application to agricultural marketing boards, section 53(2) of the Agricultural Marketing Act 1958, section 1 of the Agricultural and Forestry Associations Act 1962, the Plant Varieties and Seeds Act 1964 and section 49 of the Agriculture Act 1967; and for purposes connected with the matters aforesaid.

[3rd July 1968]

Be it enacted by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—

I Welfare of livestock

Part I

Welfare of livestock

S-1 Prevention of unnecessary pain and distress for livestock.

1 Prevention of unnecessary pain and distress for livestock.

(1) Any person who causes unnecessary pain or unnecessary distress to any livestock for the time being situated on agricultural land and under his control or permits any such livestock to suffer any such pain or distress of which he knows or may reasonably be expected to know shall be guilty of an offence under this section.

(2) Nothing in the foregoing subsection shall apply to any act lawfully done under the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876 or to any thing done or omitted by or under the direction of any person in accordance with the terms of a licence issued by the Minister for the purpose of enabling that person to undertake scientific research.

S-2 Regulations with respect to the welfare of livestock.

2 Regulations with respect to the welfare of livestock.

(1) The Ministers may, after consultation with such persons appearing to them to represent any interests concerned as the Ministers consider appropriate, by regulations make such provision with respect to the welfare of livestock for the time being situated on agricultural land as they think fit; and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing provisions of this section the regulations may in particular include provision—

(a ) with respect to the dimensions and layout of accommodation for livestock, the materials to be used in constructing any such accommodation and the facilities by way of lighting, heating, cooling, ventilation, drainage, water supply and otherwise to be provided in connection with any accommodation;

(b ) for ensuring the provision of balanced diets for livestock and for prohibiting or regulating the use of any substance as food for livestock and the importation and supply of any substance intended for use as food for livestock;

(c ) for prohibiting the bleeding of livestock and the mutilation of livestock in any manner specified in the regulations, and for prohibiting or regulating the use of any method of marking or restraining livestock or interfering with the capacity of livestock to smell, see, hear, emit sound or exercise any other faculty.

(2) Without prejudice to the generality of the powers conferred by subsection (1) of this section, regulations under this section may—

(a ) provide that a person who contravenes or fails to comply with specified provisions of the regulations shall be guilty of an offence under this section;

(b ) provide for exemptions, either subject to conditions prescribed by the regulations or without conditions, from any provisions of the regulations; and

(c ) contain such incidental and supplemental provisions as the Ministers consider expedient for the purposes of the regulations.

(3) No regulations shall be made under this section unless a draft of the regulations has been approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament.

S-3 Codes of recommendations for the welfare of livestock.

3 Codes of recommendations for the welfare of livestock.

(1) The Ministers may from time to time, after consultation with such persons appearing to them to represent any interests concerned as the Ministers consider appropriate,—

(a ) prepare codes containing such recommendations with respect to the welfare of livestock for the time being situated on agricultural land as they consider proper for the guidance of persons concerned with livestock; and

(b ) revise any such code by revoking, varying, amending or adding to the provisions of the code in such manner as the Ministers think fit.

(2) A code prepared in pursuance of this section and any alterations proposed to lie made on a revision of such a code shall be laid before both Houses of Parliament forthwith after being prepared; and the code or revised code, as the case may be, shall not be issued until the code or the proposed alterations have been approved by both Houses.

(3) Subject to subsection (2) of this section, the Ministers shall cause every code prepared or revised in pursuance of this section to be printed, and may cause copies of it to be put on sale to the public at such a price as the Ministers may determine.

(4) A failure on the part of any person to observe a provision of a code for the time being issued under this section shall not of itself render that person liable to proceedings of any kind; but such a failure on the part of any person may, in proceedings against him for an offence under section 1 of this Act, be relied upon by the prosecution as tending to establish the guilt of the accused unless it is shown that he cannot reasonably be expected to have observed the provision in question within the period which has elapsed since that provision was first included in a code issued under this section.

S-4 Expenditure on free advice on the welfare of livestock.

4 Expenditure on free advice on the welfare of livestock.

4. Without prejudice to the generality of his powers to incur expenditure under the enactments relating to the eradication and prevention of diseases of animals, the Minister may, with the approval of the Treasury, spend such sums as he thinks fit on the giving of advice, free of charge, to persons concerned with live-stock on matters relating to the welfare of livestock.

S-5 Extension of classes of operations in which anaesthetics must be used.

5 Extension of classes of operations in which anaesthetics must be used.

5. The Ministers may, after consultation with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and with such persons appearing to the Ministers to represent any other interests concerned as the Ministers consider appropriate, by order provide that paragraphs 7 and 8 of Schedule 1 to the Protection of Animals (Anaesthetics) Act 1954(which exempt certain minor operations from the requirement to use anaesthetics imposed by that Act) shall not permit the performance, either in any circumstances or in such circumstances as may be specified in the order, of such operations as may be so specified.

S-6 Powers of entry, etc.

6 Powers of entry, etc.

(1) A person duly authorised in writing by the Minister may at any reasonable time enter upon any land, other than premises used wholly or mainly as a dwelling, for the purpose of ascertaining whether an offence under this Part of this Act has been committed on the land.

(2) A person duly authorised...

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