Bee Legislation in Scotland
The legislative control of the health of managed honey bees in Scotland is mainly derived by European legislation, the main purpose of which is to manage the risks to honey bee health associated with international trade and to control notifiable diseases and pests. Most honey bee health legislation falls within the scope of EC animal health legislation and structures because honey bees are regarded as food producing animals along with other livestock.
In Scotland, legislative control is implemented by The Bees Act 1980 which empowers Ministers to make orders to control diseases and pests affecting honey bees, and provides powers of entry for authorised persons (to carry out necessary surveillance, inspection and certification requirements). The Bee Diseases and Pests control (Scotland) Order 2007, requires beekeepers (and others) to notify the Scottish Ministers of the suspicion of the presence of a notifiable disease or pest, and provides powers for control such as destruction, treatment and prevention of movement of infected hives.
ALL BEEKEEPERS have a legal obligation to report any suspicion of a notifiable disease or pest to the Bee Inspector at their local Scottish Government Rural Payments Inspections Directorate (SGRPID) Area Office. Bee Inspectors then have a statutory duty to respond to the notification of, suspicion of or presence of notifiable bee diseases and/or pests and are responsible for the operation of The Bee Diseases and Pests Control (Scotland) Order 2007.