The Spirit Drinks (Scotland) Regulations 1990

• Citation: S.I. 1990/1196
• Sections: 21

Section 1 Title and commencement

These Regulations, which extend to Scotland only, may be cited as the Spirit Drinks (Scotland) Regulations 1990 and shall come into force on 5th July 1990.

Section 2 Interpretation

(1) In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires–

“ the Act ” means the Food and Drugs (Scotland) Act 1956;

“the Council Regulation ” means Council Regulation ( EEC ) No. 1576/89 laying down general rules on the definition, description and presentation of spirit drinks ;

“local authority” means an islands or districts council;

“specified Community provision” means a provision of the Council Regulation specified in column 1 of the Schedule to these Regulations, the subject matter of which is described in column 2 thereof.

(2) Other expressions used in these Regulations have, in so far as the context admits, the same meanings as in the Council Regulation.

Section 3 Enforcement

(1) Subject to paragraph (2) of this regulation, each local authority shall secure the enforcement and execution of the specified Community provisions within its area.

(2) Each local authority in its area shall secure the enforcement and execution of the specified Community provisions in so far as they relate to the importation and exportation of spirit drinks to or from Scotland.

(3) The Secretary of State shall secure the enforcement and execution of the specified Community provisions in so far as they relate to any matter not mentioned in paragraphs (1) or (2) of this regulation.

Section 4 Powers of authorised officers

(1) An authorised officer of a local authority, having reasonable cause to suspect that an offence under regulation 5 of these Regulations has been or is being committed in respect of a specified Community provision which the local authority is required or empowered to enforce, may at all reasonable hours and on producing, if so required, some duly authenticated document showing his authority, require any person carrying on, or employed in connection with, a trade or business to produce any books or documents relating to that trade or business, and may take copies of any such book or document, or of any entry in any such book or document.

(2) An authorised officer of the Secretary of State, having reasonable cause to suspect that an offence under regulation 5 of these Regulations has been or is being committed in respect of a specified Community provision which the Secretary of State is required or empowered to enforce, shall have like powers of requiring the production of books or documents and of the taking of copies of books or documents as are exercisable under paragraph (1) above.

Section 5 Offences and penalties

(1) Subject to paragraph (2) below, if any person contravenes, or fails to comply with, any specified Community provision he shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum or on conviction on indictment to a fine.

(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply in any case to which Article 1 of Commission Regulation (EEC) No. 3773/89 laying down transitional measures relating to spirituous beverages applies.

Section 6 Application of various provisions of the Act

Without prejudice to the provisions of the Act which specifically apply in respect of Regulations made thereunder and subject to paragraph (2) of this regulation, the following provisions of the Act shall apply for the purposes of enforcement and execution of the specified Community provisions as if references therein to proceedings, or a prosecution, under or taken or brought under the Act included references to proceedings, or a prosecution, as the case may be, taken or brought for an offence under these Regulations:–

(a) section 41(2), (3) and (5) (which relates to proceedings);

(b) section 42(1) and (3) (which relates to evidence of analysis);

(c) section 44 (which relates to the power of a Court to require analysis by the Government Chemist);

(d) section 45 (which relates to a contravention due to default by some other person);

(e) section 46 (which relates to a warranty pleaded as a defence);

(f) section 47 (which relates to offences as to warranties and certificates of analysis).

(2) Section 44 of the Act shall apply for the purposes of these Regulations as if the reference therein to section 41(5) of the Act included a reference to that subsection as applied by paragraph (1) of this regulation.

Section 7 Repeal of section 3(4) of the Food and Drugs (Scotland) Act 1956

Section 3(4) of the Act is hereby repealed.

Section 1

Article 2

Section 2

Article 3(1), read with Annex III

Section 3

Article 4(1)

Section 4

Article 4(5)

Section 5

Article 4(7)

Section 6

Article 5(1)

Section 7

Article 5(2) and Article 5(3)(a) and (b)

Section 8

Article 7(1) and (2)

Section 9

Article 7(4)

Section 10

Article 7(5)

Section 11

Article 8

Section 12

Article 9

Section 13

Article 9(2)

Section 14

Article 12(1)