Statutory Instruments of the Scottish Parliament

(a) are properly equipped to carry out the functions to which the approval relates; and

(b) comply with the requirements of that Part of these Regulations.

    (2) The Agency may, on application, authorise any premises under regulation 15 below (prohibition on the removal of the spinal cord of a ruminant animal) if it is satisfied that the premises-

(a) are properly equipped to carry out the functions to which the authorisation relates; and

(b) comply with the requirements of regulation 15.

    (3) Any approval or authorisation granted or made under these Regulations (including a consent given under regulation 24(7) below) shall be in writing and may be made subject to conditions.

    (4) Any such approval or authorisation may be amended, suspended or revoked at any time by notice in writing served on the person to whom the approval or authorisation was granted or, if that person is no longer the occupier of the premises to which the approval or authorisation relates, on the occupier of those premises, if the Scottish Ministers are or, as the case may be, the Agency is satisfied that any provisions of these Regulations in relation to the premises or any conditions in the approval or authorisation are not being complied with.".

(a) is consigned to a designated cutting premises in accordance with regulation 10(12) above; or

(b) is imported and transported to a designated cutting premises in accordance with article 6(2A) of the Specified Risk Material Order 1997,

the occupier of those premises shall ensure that the vertebral column is removed from the rest of the carcase at the premises as soon as is practicable after the arrival of the carcase there.

    (2) The occupier of a designated cutting premises shall permit an inspector or official veterinary surgeon, or a person acting under the responsibility of either of them, to inspect the carcase of any bovine animal consigned or transported there so that it can be checked whether the specified bovine material has been removed from the carcase in accordance with these Regulations, and the occupier shall give to any such person such reasonable assistance as may be required.

    (3) The occupier of any designated cutting premises at which vertebral column is removed in accordance with this regulation shall ensure that it is-

(a) stained in accordance with regulation 10(3) above; and

(b) disposed of as specified risk material in accordance with these Regulations.

    (4) In paragraphs (1) to (3) above, "designated cutting premises" means licensed premises which the Agency has, following receipt by it of a written application, designated in writing for the purposes of this regulation.

    (5) Any designation made by the Agency for the purposes of this regulation may be made subject to conditions.

    (6) Any such designation may be amended, suspended or revoked at any time by notice in writing served on the person in whose favour it was granted or, if that person is no longer the occupier of the premises to which the designation relates, on the occupier of those premises, if the Agency is satisfied that any provision of these Regulations has not been complied with in relation to the premises or any condition in the designation has been breached.

    (7) In paragraph (1) above, "carcase" means any whole carcase, half carcase or quarter carcase.".

(i) regulation 3 of the principal Regulations (which defines "specified sheep and goat material") is amended to exclude from the scope of the definition material derived from sheep and goats born, continuously reared and slaughtered in certain third countries (regulation 2(4) and (5));

(ii) regulation 4 of the principal Regulations (which defines "specified bovine material") is substantially revised so that, in particular, material derived from bovine animals born, continuously reared and slaughtered in certain third countries is now outside the scope of the definition (regulation 2(6) to (8));

(iii) regulation 8 of the principal Regulations (prohibition applying to the vertebral column of ruminant animals) is replaced with a provision prohibiting the use of bovine, ovine and caprine bones in the production of mechanically recovered meat (regulation 2(10)) and regulation 9 (registration of premises on which meat is recovered by mechanical means from ruminant animals) is omitted (regulation 2(11));

(iv) a new regulation 15A dealing with the treatment of carcases consigned to cutting premises and imported carcases containing vertebral column, which is specified bovine material, is inserted into the principal Regulations (regulation 2(13)); and

(b) in view of the amendment made to regulation 26 of the principal Regulations by the Food Standards Act 1999 (Transitional and Consequential Provisions and Savings) (Scotland) Regulations 2000 (S.S.I. 2000/62), that regulation is further amended to enable the Scottish Ministers or the Food Standards Agency to give directions relating to the disposal of specified risk material (regulation 2(14) and (15)). A consequential amendment is also required to regulation 29(2)(c) (regulation 2(16)).