PART I continued
[F7(3)The Secretary of State shall lay before each House of Parliament a copy of any advice so given and the statements accompanying it.]
(4)The functions of the [F8GB conservation bodies] shall include power to advise or assist—
(a)any constable;
(b)any proper officer of a local authority; or
(c)any person duly authorised by the Secretary of State under section 6(9), 7(6) or 14(5),
in, or in connection with, the enforcement of the provisions of this Part or any order or regulations made under it.
F1S. 24 heading substituted (1.10.2006) by Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 (c. 16), ss. 105(1), 107, Sch. 11 para. 75(5); S.I. 2006/2541, art. 2
F2Words in s. 24(1) substituted (1.10.2006) by Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 (c. 16), ss. 105(1), 107, Sch. 11 para. 75(2)(a); S.I. 2006/2541, art. 2
F3Words in s. 24(1) substituted ( 1.4.1991.) by Environmental Protection Act 1990 (c. 43, SIF 46:4), s. 132, Sch. 9 para. 11(6)(a); S.I.1991/685, art.3.
F4Words in s. 24(1) repealed (1.10.2006) by Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 (c. 16), ss. 105(1)(2), 107, Sch. 11 para. 75(2)(b), Sch. 12; S.I. 2006/2541, art. 2
F5S. 24(1A) inserted (1.10.2006) by Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 (c. 16), ss. 105(1), 107, Sch. 11 para. 75(3); S.I. 2006/2541, art. 2
F6Words in s. 24(2) substituted ( 1.4.1991) by Environmental Protection Act 1990 (c. 43, SIF 46:4), s. 132(1)(a), Sch. 9 para. 11(6)(b); 1991/685, art.3.
F7S. 24 (3) substituted ( 1.4.1991.) by Environmental Protection Act 1990 (c. 43, SIF 46:4), s. 132(1)(a), Sch. 9 para. 11(6)(c); S.I. 1991/685, art.3.
F8Words in s. 24(4) substituted (1.10.2006) by Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 (c. 16), ss. 105(1), 107, Sch. 11 para. 75(4); S.I. 2006/2541, art. 2
E1This version of this provision extends to Scotland only; a separate version has been created for England and Wales only
(1)Every local authority shall take such steps as they consider expedient for bringing to the attention of the public and of schoolchildren in particular the effect of—
(a)the provisions of this Part; and
(b)any order made under this Part affecting the whole or any part of their area.
(2)A local authority in England and Wales may institute proceedings for any offence under this Part or any order made under it which is committed within their area.
(1)Any power to make regulations or orders under this Part shall be exercisable by statutory instrument.
(2)A statutory instrument containing regulations under this Part, or an order under a provision of this Part other than sections 2(6), 3, 5 and 11, shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.
(3)No order under section 5 or 11 shall be made unless a draft of the order has been laid before and approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament.
(4)Before making any order under this Part, the Secretary of State—
(a)except in the case of an order under section 2(6), shall give to any local authority affected and, except in the case of an order under section 3, any other person affected, by such means as he may think appropriate, an opportunity to submit objections or representations with respect to the subject matter of the order;
(b)except in the case of an order under section 22(3), shall consult with whichever one of the advisory bodies he considers is best able to advise him as to whether the order should be made; and
(c)may, if he thinks fit, cause a public inquiry to be held.
(5)Notice of the making of an order under this Part shall be published by the Secretary of State—
(a)if the order relates in whole or in part to England and Wales, in the London Gazette; and
(b)if the order relates in whole or in part to Scotland, in the Edinburgh Gazette.
(6)The Secretary of State shall give consideration to any proposals for the making by him of an order under this Part with respect to any area which may be submitted to him by a local authority whose area includes that area.
E1This version of this provision extends to England and Wales only; a separate version has been created for Scotland only
(1)Any power to make regulations or orders under this Part shall be exercisable by statutory instrument.
(2)A statutory instrument containing regulations under this Part, or an order under a provision of this Part other than sections 2(6), 3, 5 and [F111(4)] , shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.
(3)No order under section 5 or F111(4) shall be made unless a draft of the order has been laid before and approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament.
(4)Before making any order under this Part, the Secretary of State—
(a)except in the case of an order under section 2(6), shall give to any local authority affected and, except in the case of an order under section 3, any other person affected, by such means as he may think appropriate, an opportunity to submit objections or representations with respect to the subject matter of the order;
(b)except in the case of an order under section [F222] , shall consult with whichever one of the advisory bodies he considers is best able to advise him as to whether the order should be made; and
(c)may, if he thinks fit, cause a public inquiry to be held.
(5)Notice of the making of an order under this Part shall be published by the Secretary of State—
(a)if the order relates in whole or in part to England and Wales, in the London Gazette; and
(b)if the order relates in whole or in part to Scotland, in the Edinburgh Gazette.
(6)The Secretary of State shall give consideration to any proposals for the making by him of an order under this Part with respect to any area which may be submitted to him by a local authority whose area includes that area.
F1Word in s. 26(2)(3) substituted (S.) (1.10.2004) by Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 (asp 6), ss. 50, 59, Sch. 6 para. 21(a); S.S.I. 2004/407, art. 2
F2Word in s. 26(4)(b) substituted (S.) (1.10.2004) by Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 (asp 6), ss. 50, 59, Sch. 6 para. 21(b); S.S.I. 2004/407, art. 2
E1This version of this provision extends to Scotland only; a separate version has been created for England and Wales only
Regulations under section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972 (c. 68) for the purpose of implementing Council Directive 92/43/EEC on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora [F2(that is, the Directive as amended from time to time by any other Community instrument or otherwise)] may, despite paragraph 1(1)(d) of Schedule 2 to that Act, create offences punishable on summary conviction with imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months.]
F1S. 26A inserted (S.) (1.10.2004) by Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 (asp 6), ss. 50, 59, Sch. 6 para. 22; S.S.I. 2004/407, art. 2
F2Words in s. 26A substituted (23.4.2007) by Criminal Proceedings etc. (Reform) (Scotland) Act 2007 (asp 6), ss. 44(2), 84; S.S.I. 2007/250, art. 3 (subject to art. 4)
(1)In this Part, unless the context otherwise requires—
“advertisement” includes a catalogue, a circular and a price list;
“advisory body” has the meaning given by section 23;
“agriculture Minister” means the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food or the Secretary of State;
“authorised person” means—
the owner or occupier, or any person authorised by the owner or occupier, of the land on which the action authorised is taken;
any person authorised in writing by the local authority for the area within which the action authorised is taken;
as respects anything done in relation to wild birds, any person authorised in writing by any of the following bodies, that is to say, [F1any of the [F11GB conservation bodies]], F2 a district board for a fishery district within the meaning of the M1Salmon Fisheries (Scotland) Act 1862 or a local fisheries committee constituted under the M2Sea Fisheries Regulation Act 1966;
[F3any person authorised in writing by the National Rivers Authority, a water undertaker or a sewerage undertaker;]
so, however, that the authorisation of any person for the purposes of this definition shall not confer any right of entry upon any land;
“automatic weapon” and “semi-automatic weapon” do not include any weapon the magazine of which is incapable of holding more than two rounds;
“aviculture” means the breeding and rearing of birds in captivity;
“destroy”, in relation to an egg, includes doing anything to the egg which is calculated to prevent it from hatching, and “destruction” shall be construed accordingly;
“domestic duck” means any domestic form of duck;
“domestic goose” means any domestic form of goose;
“firearm” has the same meaning as in the M3Firearms Act 1968;
“game bird” means any pheasant, partridge, grouse (or moor game), black (or heath) game or ptarmigan;
[F4“inland waters” means—
inland waters within the meaning of the Water Resources Act 1991; M4
any waters not falling within paragraph (a) above which are within the seaward limits of the territorial sea;
controlled waters within the meaning of Part II of the Control of Pollution Act 1974 M5 other than ground waters as defined in section 30A(1)(d) of that Act.]
“livestock” includes any animal which is kept—
for the provision of food, wool, skins or fur;
for the purpose of its use in the carrying on of any agricultural activity; or
for the provision or improvement of shooting or fishing;
“local authority” means—
“occupier”, in relation to any land other than the foreshore, includes any person having any right of hunting, shooting, fishing or taking game or fish;
“pick”, in relation to a plant, means gather or pluck any part of the plant without uprooting it;
“poultry” means domestic fowls, geese, ducks, guinea-fowls, pigeons and quails, and turkeys;
[F12“premises” includes land (including buildings), movable structures, vehicles, vessels, aircraft and other means of transport;]
“sale” includes hire, barter and exchange and cognate expressions shall be construed accordingly;
“uproot”, in relation to a plant, means dig up or otherwise remove the plant from the land on which it is growing;
“vehicle” includes aircraft, hovercraft and boat;
[F9“water authority”, in relation to Scotland, has the same meaning as in the M6Water (Scotland) Act 1980;
“wild animal” means any animal (other than a bird) which is or (before it was killed or taken) was living wild;
“wild bird” means any bird of a [F13species] which is ordinarily resident in or is a visitor to [F14the European territory of any member State] in a wild state but does not include poultry or, except in sections 5 and 16, any game bird;
[F15“the Wild Birds Directive” means Council Directive 79/409/EEC on the conservation of wild birds F16;]
“wild plant” means any plant which is or (before it was picked, uprooted or destroyed) was growing wild and is of a kind which ordinarily grows in Great Britain in a wild state.
[F10“wildlife inspector” has the meaning given by [F17section 18A(1)].]]
(2)A bird shall not be treated as bred in captivity for the purposes of this Part unless its parents were lawfully in captivity when the egg was laid.
(3)Any reference in this Part to an animal of any kind includes, unless the context otherwise requires, a reference to an egg, larva, pupa, or other immature stage of an animal of that kind.
[F18(3A)In this Part “the GB conservation bodies” means—
(a)Natural England,
(b)the Countryside Council for Wales, and
(c)Scottish Natural Heritage,
and references to a conservation body are to be read accordingly.]
(4)This Part shall apply to the Isles of Scilly as if the Isles were a county and as if the Council of the Isles were a county council.
(5)This Part extends to the territorial waters adjacent to Great Britain, and for the purposes of this Part any part of Great Britain which is bounded by territorial waters shall be taken to include the territorial waters adjacent to that part.
F1Words in s. 27(1) substituted (1.4.1991) by Environmental Protection Act 1990 (c. 43, SIF 46:4), s. 132(1)(a),Sch. 9 para. 11(7)(a); S.I. 1991/685, art. 3.
F2Words in s. 27(1) repealed by Water Act 1989 (c. 15, SIF 130), ss. 58(7), 101(1), 141(6), 160(1)(2)(4), 163, 189(4)–(10), 190, 193(1), Sch. 26 paras. 3(1)(2), 17, 40(4), 41(1), 57(6), 58, Sch. 27 Pt. I
F3Para. (d) in the definition of “authorised person” inserted (E.W.) by Water Act 1989 (c. 15, SIF 130), ss. 58(7), 101(1), 141(6), 60(1)(2)(4), 163, 189(4)–(10), 190, 193(1), Sch. 25 para. 66(1), Sch. 26 paras. 3(1)(2), 17, 40(4), 57(6), 58
F4Definition in s. 27(1) inserted (30.11.1995) by S.I. 1995/2825, reg. 4
F5Words in s. 27(1) repealed (1.4.1996) by 1994 c. 19, s. 66(6)(8), Sch. 16 para. 65(2), Sch. 18 (with ss. 54(5)(7), 55(5), Sch. 17 paras. 22(1), 23(2)); S.I. 1996/396, art. 4, Sch. 2
F6Words in s. 27(1) repealed by Local Government Act 1985 (c. 51, SIF 81:1), ss. 1, 102, Sch. 17
F7S. 27(1): para. (aa) in the definition of “local authority” inserted (1.4.1996) by 1994 c. 19, s. 66(6), Sch. 16 para. 65(2) (with ss. 54(5)(7), 55(5), Sch. 17 paras. 22(1), 23(2)); S.I. 1996/396, art. 4, Sch. 2
F8Words in s. 27(1) substituted (S.) (1.4.1996) by 1994 c. 39, s. 180(1), Sch. 13 para. 125(2); S.I. 1996/323, art. 4(1)(b)(c)
F9S. 27(1): definition of "water authority" repealed (S.) (1.4.2002) by Water Industry (Scotland) Act 2002 (asp. 3), s. 71, Sch. 7 para. 11(2); S.S.I. 2002/118, art. 2(3)
F10S. 27(1): definition of "wildlife inspector" inserted (E.W.) (30.1.2001) by 2000 c. 37, ss. 81(1), 103(2), Sch. 12 para. 12
F11S. 27(1): words in definition of “authorised person” substituted (1.10.2006) by Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 (c. 16), ss. 105(1), 107, Sch. 11 para. 76(2); S.I. 2006/2541, art. 2
F12S. 27(1): definition of “premises” inserted (E.W.) (1.10.2006) by Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 (c. 16), ss. 105(2), 107, Sch. 11 para. 76(3)(5); S.I. 2006/2541, art. 2
F13S. 27(1): word in definition of “wild bird” substituted (E.W.) (14.7.2004) by The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981(England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2004 (S.I. 2004/1487), reg. 4(a) and also expressed to be substituted (W.) (2.8.2004) by S.I. 2004/1733, reg. 3(1), Sch. para. 2(a)
F14S. 27(1): words in definition of “wild bird” substituted (E.W.) (14.7.2004) by The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981(England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2004 (S.I. 2004/1487), reg. 4(b) and also expressed to be substituted (W.) (2.8.2004) by S.I. 2004/1733, reg. 3(1) ,Sch. para. 2(b)
F15S. 27: definition of “the Wild Birds Directive” inserted (E.W.) (21.8.2007) by The Conservation (Natural Habitats, & c.) (Amendment) Regulations 2007 (S.I. 2007/1843), reg. 7(6)
F16Council Directive 79/409/EEC (OJ No. L103, 25.4.1979, p.1). The Directive was last amended by Council Directive 2006/105/EC of 20 November 2006 adapting Directives 79/409/EEC, 92/43/EEC, 97/68/EC, 2001/80/EC and 2001/81/EC in the field of environment, by reason of the accession of Bulgaria and Romania (O.J. No. L363, 20.12.2006, p. 368; and see O.J. L80, 21.3.2007, p. 15, for the Corrigendum amending the original title).
F17S. 27(1): words in definition of "wildlife inspector" substituted (E.W.) (31.5.2006) by Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 (c. 16), ss. 52, 107, Sch. 5 para. 6; S.I. 2006/1382, art. 2
F18S. 27(3A) substituted (1.10.2006) by Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 (c. 16), ss. 105(2), 107, Sch. 11 para. 76(4); S.I. 2006/2541, art. 2
E1This version of this provision extends to England and Wales only; a separate version has been created for Scotland only
M11862 c. 97.
M21966 c. 38.
M31968 c. 27.
M41991 c.57.
M51974 c.40.
M61980 c. 45.
(1)In this Part, unless the context otherwise requires—
“advertisement” includes a catalogue, a circular and a price list;
“advisory body” has the meaning given by section 23;
“agriculture Minister” means the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food or the Secretary of State;
“authorised person” means—
the owner or occupier, or any person authorised by the owner or occupier, of the land on which the action authorised is taken;
any person authorised in writing by the local authority for the area within which the action authorised is taken;
as respects anything done in relation to wild birds, any person authorised in writing by any of the following bodies, that is to say, [F1any of the [F2GB conservation bodies]], F3 a district board for a fishery district within the meaning of the M1Salmon Fisheries (Scotland) Act 1862 or a local fisheries committee constituted under the M2Sea Fisheries Regulation Act 1966;
[F4any person authorised in writing by the National Rivers Authority, a water undertaker or a sewerage undertaker;]
so, however, that the authorisation of any person for the purposes of this definition shall not confer any right of entry upon any land;
“automatic weapon” and “semi-automatic weapon” do not include any weapon the magazine of which is incapable of holding more than two rounds;
“aviculture” means the breeding and rearing of birds in captivity;
“destroy”, in relation to an egg, includes doing anything to the egg which is calculated to prevent it from hatching, and “destruction” shall be construed accordingly;
“domestic duck” means any domestic form of duck;
“domestic goose” means any domestic form of goose;
“firearm” has the same meaning as in the M3Firearms Act 1968;
“game bird” means any pheasant, partridge, grouse (or moor game), black (or heath) game or ptarmigan;
[F5“inland waters” means—
inland waters within the meaning of the Water Resources Act 1991; M4
any waters not falling within paragraph (a) above which are within the seaward limits of the territorial sea;
controlled waters within the meaning of Part II of the Control of Pollution Act 1974 M5 other than ground waters as defined in section 30A(1)(d) of that Act.]
“livestock” includes any animal which is kept—
for the provision of food, wool, skins or fur;
for the purpose of its use in the carrying on of any agricultural activity; or
for the provision or improvement of shooting or fishing;
“local authority” means—
“occupier”, in relation to any land other than the foreshore, includes any person having any right of hunting, shooting, fishing or taking game or fish;
“pick”, in relation to a plant, means gather or pluck any part of the plant without uprooting it;
“poultry” means [F10the domestic forms of the following, that is to say] fowls, geese, ducks, guinea-fowls, pigeons and quails, and turkeys;
“sale” includes hire, barter and exchange and cognate expressions shall be construed accordingly;
“uproot”, in relation to a plant, means dig up or otherwise remove the plant from the land on which it is growing;
“vehicle” includes aircraft, hovercraft and boat;
[F11“water authority”, in relation to Scotland, has the same meaning as in the M6Water (Scotland) Act 1980;
“wild animal” means any animal (other than a bird) which is or (before it was killed or taken) was living wild;
“wild bird” means any bird of a [F12species] which is ordinarily resident in or is a visitor to [F13any member State or the European territory of any member State] in a wild state but does not include poultry or, except in sections 5 and 16, any game bird;
“wild plant” means any plant [F14(including fungi)] which is or (before it was picked, uprooted or destroyed) was growing wild and is of a kind which ordinarily grows in Great Britain in a wild state.
[F15“wildlife inspector” has the meaning given by section 19ZA(1).]]