Arrangement with Defra to undertake functions under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (Saesneg yn unig)

Date of decision / Dyddiad y penderfyniad:

14 September 2009

Statement of information / Datganiad gwybodaeth:

Since July 1999, Defra has carried out certain bird ringing and registration and wildlife inspection functions in Wales, previously on behalf of the National Assembly for Wales under section 41(1) (b) of the Government of Wales Act 1998 and more recently on behalf of the Welsh Assembly Government under an arrangement under section 83(1) of the Government of Wales Act 2006. 

Animal Health carry out this function as the government's executive agency primarily responsible for ensuring that farmed animals in England, Scotland and Wales are healthy, disease-free and well looked after.

The agency became Animal Health on 1st April 2007 following the merger of the State Veterinary Service (SVS), Dairy Hygiene Inspectorate and Egg Marketing Inspectorate and the Wildlife Licensing and Registration Service.

The functions covered by the agreement are:

(a)    maintenance of the register of birds and the registration of birds required by regulation 3 of the Wildlife and Countryside (Registration, Ringing and Marking of Certain Captive Birds) (Wales) Regulations 2003 (“the Regulations”) as amended by the Wildlife and Countryside (Registration, Ringing and Marking of Certain Captive Birds) (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2009.

(b)    the issuing of application forms for registration in accordance with the Regulations and the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (“the Act”);

(c)    collection and recording of fees paid in respect of registration and payment of those fees into the Welsh Consolidated Fund;

(d)    arranging inspections under Section 18 and 19 of the Act (as amended by the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006) or with the consent of the keeper as appropriate, in order to ensure the accuracy of the register;

(e)    releasing personal information to keepers on request in accordance with the requirements of Data Protection legislation;

(f)     releasing information to other authorities on request as permitted by exemption from the provisions of Data Protection legislation;

(g)    Otherwise acting at its discretion in relation to the matters in paragraphs (a) to (f) to promote observance of the Act and the Regulations. 

A similar arrangement exists in relation to Scotland.

Defra has offered to renew the arrangement for a further three years at no cost to the Assembly Government.