Bees Act 1980
Encyclopedia
The Bees Act 1980 is an Act
of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
. It seeks to stop the damage caused by diseases, chemicals and pests that damage the wellbeing of bee
s. It repealed the Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1941.
), along with the Secretary of State for Scotland
and the Secretary of State for Wales
must convene in the case of any threat posed to bees in Britain by diseases or pests and enact the powers granted to them in this legislation.
the transportation into or around the United Kingdom
of bees, honeycomb
, beehives or anything connected with beekeeping
. They may appoint any person (in writing) they choose to seize and examine bees for disease
.
Any bees found to be diseased may be destroyed if the inspector sees fit. Bees or related equipment imported into Britain may also be destroyed at the discretion of government officials. No compensation is available for those whose bees are destroyed. Any expenses incurred during this process were to be compensated by Parliament.
Power of forced entry
was also given to officials who suspect diseased bees to be on the premises ("any premises or other place, or any vessel, boat, hovercraft, aircraft or other vehicle").
Any person who refused government officials entry to any premises or other place, or any vessel, boat, hovercraft, aircraft or other vehicle which was suspected to harbour diseased bees was to be charged with obstruction of justice
and fined up to £200.
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
. It seeks to stop the damage caused by diseases, chemicals and pests that damage the wellbeing of bee
Bee
Bees are flying insects closely related to wasps and ants, and are known for their role in pollination and for producing honey and beeswax. Bees are a monophyletic lineage within the superfamily Apoidea, presently classified by the unranked taxon name Anthophila...
s. It repealed the Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1941.
Provisions
The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (now the Department for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is the government department responsible for environmental protection, food production and standards, agriculture, fisheries and rural communities in the United Kingdom...
), along with the Secretary of State for Scotland
Secretary of State for Scotland
The Secretary of State for Scotland is the principal minister of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom with responsibilities for Scotland. He heads the Scotland Office , a government department based in London and Edinburgh. The post was created soon after the Union of the Crowns, but was...
and the Secretary of State for Wales
Secretary of State for Wales
The Secretary of State for Wales is the head of the Wales Office within the British cabinet. He or she is responsible for ensuring Welsh interests are taken into account by the government, representing the government within Wales and overseeing the passing of legislation which is only for Wales...
must convene in the case of any threat posed to bees in Britain by diseases or pests and enact the powers granted to them in this legislation.
Powers
If all three decide that a threat is posed to the health of bees, they may prohibitEmbargo
An embargo is the partial or complete prohibition of commerce and trade with a particular country, in order to isolate it. Embargoes are considered strong diplomatic measures imposed in an effort, by the imposing country, to elicit a given national-interest result from the country on which it is...
the transportation into or around the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
of bees, honeycomb
Honeycomb
A honeycomb is a mass of hexagonal waxcells built by honey bees in their nests to contain their larvae and stores of honey and pollen.Beekeepers may remove the entire honeycomb to harvest honey...
, beehives or anything connected with beekeeping
Beekeeping
Beekeeping is the maintenance of honey bee colonies, commonly in hives, by humans. A beekeeper keeps bees in order to collect honey and other products of the hive , to pollinate crops, or to produce bees for sale to other beekeepers...
. They may appoint any person (in writing) they choose to seize and examine bees for disease
Disease
A disease is an abnormal condition affecting the body of an organism. It is often construed to be a medical condition associated with specific symptoms and signs. It may be caused by external factors, such as infectious disease, or it may be caused by internal dysfunctions, such as autoimmune...
.
Any bees found to be diseased may be destroyed if the inspector sees fit. Bees or related equipment imported into Britain may also be destroyed at the discretion of government officials. No compensation is available for those whose bees are destroyed. Any expenses incurred during this process were to be compensated by Parliament.
Power of forced entry
Forced Entry
Forced Entry may refer to:*Forced entry or forcible entry, entering into property, lawfully or unlawfully, by use of forceIn film:*Forced Entry , a pornographic film starring Harry Reems...
was also given to officials who suspect diseased bees to be on the premises ("any premises or other place, or any vessel, boat, hovercraft, aircraft or other vehicle").
Offences
It was made an offence to transport bees into or around Britain while the Act was in force - either by importing them, or by failing to cooperate with government orders. A maximum fine of £1,000 was introduced for committing this offence.Any person who refused government officials entry to any premises or other place, or any vessel, boat, hovercraft, aircraft or other vehicle which was suspected to harbour diseased bees was to be charged with obstruction of justice
Obstruction of justice
The crime of obstruction of justice, in United States jurisdictions, refers to the crime of interfering with the work of police, investigators, regulatory agencies, prosecutors, or other officials...
and fined up to £200.