Statutory Rules of Northern Ireland
1996 No. 132

FOOD
Beef (Emergency Control) Order (Northern Ireland) 1996

Made
28th March 1996

Coming into operation
29th March 1996

Whereas it appears to the Department of Health and Social Services acting as the Department concerned that the sale of meat derived from older bovine animals may involve imminent risk of injury to health.

Now therefore the said Department concerned, in exercise of the powers conferred on it by Articles 12(1), 26(3) and 47(2) of the Food Safety (Northern Ireland) Order 1991(1) and of every other power enabling it in that behalf, hereby makes the following Order:—

Title, commencement and interpretation

1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the Beef (Emergency Control) Order (Northern Ireland) 1996 and shall come into operation on 29th March 1996.

(2) In this Order—

“the 1991 Order” means the Food Safety (Northern Ireland) Order 1991; and

“meat” means any part of the carcase of an animal intended for human consumption.

Prohibition of sale of meat from older bovine animals

2.—(1) A person shall not sell any meat derived from any bovine animal slaughtered after the commencement of this Order and which, at the time of slaughter, was more than 2½ years of age.

(2) For the purposes of paragraph (1) the age of a bovine animal shall be ascertained—

(a)in the first instance by reference to records kept in relation to that animal by the Department of Agriculture (in whatever form); or

(b)where necessary, by dentition.

Enforcement

3.  This Order shall be enforced and executed by each district council within its district.

Application of various provisions of the 1991 Order

4.  The following provisions of the 1991 Order shall apply for the purposes of this Order as they apply for the purposes of the 1991 Order and, accordingly, any reference in those provisions to the 1991 Order shall be construed as a reference to this Order—

(a)Articles 2(4) and 3 (extended meaning of “sale” etc);

(b)Article 4 (presumptions that food is intended for sale for human consumption);

(c)Article 19 (offences due to fault of another person);

(d)Article 20 (defence of due diligence);

(e)Article 34 (obstruction etc of officers).

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Health and Social Services on

L.S.
D. A. Baker
Assistant Secretary
28th March 1996.

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order.)
This Order prohibits in Northern Ireland the sale of any meat (as defined in Article 1(2)) from bovine animals slaughtered after 28th March 1996 and which at the time of slaughter were more than 2½ years of age.
Any person who contravenes this Order is guilty of an offence under Article 12(2) of the Food Safety (Northern Ireland) Order and is liable—
(a)on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to both; or
(b)on conviction on indictment to a fine or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or to both.

(1)
S.I. 1991/762 (N.I. 7): See the definition of ‘the Department concerned' in Article 2(2)