Feeding Stuffs (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2005

Consolidation
Since their introduction in September 2000, the Feeding Stuffs Regulations 2000 have been amended many times. The following legislation is therefore being simplified and consolidated in the draft Feeding Stuffs (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2005:

(a) The Feeding Stuffs Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001 (S.R. 2001 No. 47);
(b) The Feeding Stuffs (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001 (S.R. 2001 No. 428);
(c) The Feeding Stuffs (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2002 (S.R. 2002 No. 263);
(d) The Feeding Stuffs (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003 (S.R. 2003 No. 219);
(e) The Feeding Stuffs (Amendment No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003 (S.R. 2003 No. 306);
(f) The Feeding Stuffs (Amendment No. 3) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003 (S.R. 2003 No. 475);
(g) The Feeding Stuffs (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2004 (S.R. 2004 No. 215);
(h) The Feeding Stuffs, the Feeding Stuffs (Sampling and Analysis) and the Feeding Stuffs (Enforcement) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2004 (S.R. 2004 No. 443).

EC Regulation 1831/2003
Feed additive authorisations are currently subject to the provisions of Directive 70/524/EEC, which was last substantially amended by Directive 96/51/EC. The provisions of these Directives are implemented in Northern Ireland in the Feeding Stuffs Regulations 2000 (as amended). (Separate but parallel legislation applies in England, Scotland and Wales.) One of the main principles is that only additives (for example vitamins and trace elements) on an authorised list can be used in animal feed in accordance with prescribed conditions of use.

EC Regulation 1831/2003 makes changes to the procedures for the authorisation of additives. Previously, a detailed assessment was carried out by Member State experts and the Commission; this assessment will now be carried out by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Among other things, approximately 350 existing feed additive authorisations will be re-evaluated and silage agents will be brought within the scope of the controls. There are also new requirements for the labelling of feed additives and premixtures.

The provisions of EC Regulations are directly applicable and cannot be repeated in national legislation. However, it is necessary to make changes to the Feeding Stuffs Regulations to remove the out of date provisions derived from Directives 70/524/EEC and 96/51/EC, to link Regulation 1831/2003 to national enforcement powers, and to make other consequential changes.

EC Regulation 1831/2003 also applies to 'medicinal' feed additives (principally antibiotic growth promoters, coccidiostats and histomonostats). These provisions are the subject of separate Regulations to be made by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

Other Information
Further information on the main provisions of the Feeding Stuffs (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2005, including changes that have resulted from the adoption of Regulation 1831/2003 and other important changes from the previous consolidation in 2000, are set out in the note at the link below.

There will be separate but parallel regulations for England, Scotland and Wales, which will be subject to separate consultations.

Regulatory Impact Assessment
As all the provisions of the legislation are currently in force, it is considered unnecessary to prepare an RIA for the consolidation of these measures. For EC Regulation 1831/2003, however, we have drawn up the partial RIA, which contains our understanding of the implications of the measure�s implementation. Earlier versions of this assessment were drawn up during negotiations on the measure and circulated to stakeholders for input on its likely impact. However, we would appreciate any updates to the information then provided and any further comments where appropriate.

In considering the draft consolidated Regulations, stakeholders may find it helpful to refer to EC Regulation 1831/2003, which was published in the Official Journal of the European Union No L268 for 18 October 2003. An index to the Official Journal can be found on the Commission website. A copy of the Feeding Stuffs Regulations 2000 can be downloaded from the Stationery Office website.

As previously mentioned, the provisions of EC Regulation 1831/2003 relating to 'medicinal' feed additives are the subject of separate Regulations to be made by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD). The Regulatory Impact Assessment therefore contains information only on the provisions that concern non-medicinal feed additives.

How to respond
Stakeholders are invited to comment in general on the draft Regulations, the draft RIA and on the issues raised in this consultation. In particular we would be grateful for your response to the following points:
a) What benefits do you anticipate from the implementation of the new provisions on the control of feed additives in EC Regulation 1831/2003 (see section 4 of the RIA)? Where possible, please quantify these benefits.
b) What are the estimated costs arising from the implementation of the new provisions of EC Regulation 1831/2003, in particular in relation to provision of dossiers for the re-evaluation of feed additives and for silage agents (see section 5 of the RIA)?
c) What is your opinion on the effect of the issues related to the costs and benefits of non-implementation? Where these can be quantified in economic terms, please let us know.

This consultation has been prepared in accordance with the HM Government Code of Practice on Consultation, which states that a consultation must follow better regulation best practice, including carrying out an Impact Assessment (Regulatory Impact Assessment in Scotland). The assessment is included in the consultation documents.

We are interested in what you thought of this consultation and would therefore welcome your general feedback on both the consultation package and overall consultation process. If you would like to assist us to improve the quality of future consultations, please feel free to share your thoughts with us by using the consultation feedback questionnaire.

Consultation feedback questionnaire (Word)

Consultation feedback questionnaire (pdf)

In accordance with the FSA principle of openness our Information Centre at Aviation House will hold a copy of the completed consultation. The FSA will publish a summary of responses, which may include personal data, such as your full name. Disclosure of any other personal data would be made only upon request for the full consultation responses. If you do not want this information to be released, please complete and return the Publication of Personal Data Form. Return of this form does not mean that we will treat your response to the consultation as confidential, just your personal data.

Data protection form (Word)

Data protection form (pdf)

Within three months of a consultation ending we aim to publish a summary of responses received and provide a link to it from this page.

If, after three months, the summary is still not showing, please contact the person who was responsible for the original consultation. Alternatively, you can contact the FSA Consultation Co-ordinator by email: consultationcoordinator@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk