At the risk of becoming tiresome, I have decided to no. my os list so that I can track it, and have added a few more over the weekend
1. The guides do not cover what is needed for new users not just of the system, but also the concept, legal reqs and processes of e-aml. The present guides only show part of the screens, and do not list what data users need ahead of starting a transfer.
2. More critically a full guide to using the WHOLE e-aml system (not just screen shots) is needed covering both sender and receiver being on computer, sender on PC - receiver not, sender not on PC but receiver is, moves between E&W and Scotland (who still have paper at the mo), and import/export moves. For instance where is a user told if they are sending to a user who does not have a PC, they should hand two copies of the form to the haulier, one for him and one for the receiver - just one of 15 different process possibilities excluding sms !
3. The Defra new pig keeping guide needs to be updated to get registration for a herdmark before getting pigs, so that users can register with e-aml which requires this info [this is with Phil Qua of AHVLA]
4. The system all over the place says "slapmark" (for instance in a location search, at the start of a farm to farm move) which is only used for moves to slaughter (and then it is only one option), the correct term should be herdmark. Not being pedantic, many new pig keepers won't know what a slapmark is, or think they must slap a live to live move.
5. If a user does a farm to farm e-aml, and knows the vehicle registration no. of the haulier, and completes this, they STILL have to input it again to confirm move, there needs to be a check to say if you have already done it, and not to require it being re-input. Systems should not require the same data twice.
6. How will force majeaure be dealt with for those without PC's - eg a holder arrives on land and it is flooded, need to move pigs urgently, but not PC user so have to give two days notice to BPEX and await a form before they can move?
7. Are BPEX sending out email forms to non-pc users first class?
8. Why are pigs with temporary marks required to complete "holding of birth" - I can see nothing in the legislation that requires this, and users may not know this in any case, in which case what should they enter?
9. Why is it required that the type of pigs being moved must be entered? This was only on the old form for convenience to let several pigs to be listed for ease of haulier and receiver, but since on e-aml you cannot have multiple lines (just one type or “mixed”) it is now redundant and I see nothing in law requiring the type of pigs being moved, so why is this data being gathered?
10. Has Wales yet passed the legislation that e-aml requires - I cannot trace this legislation.
11. Overall major question, why do those without computers now have to give at least two working days notice of a move, and await forms, when someone with a pc but not working printer, can use a pro-forma and handwrite the info that they have typed in. At least then those moving pigs at the weekend would only need to decide this on Friday at 4.45pm phone the details through and then do a hand pro-forma, not have to decide Wednesday or otherwise have to break the law. And PC users don’t tend to have fax either, which was a suggested answer.
12. The movement archive is very “bitty”. To reconcile my movement book with the system for say the last 3 months, a user would need to look at both received and purchased, and within sent area do three additional areas (F/S, F/F, F/M), and within each of those arras a further 4 categories, making a total of 18 searches ! and this is before movements to shows, which presumably would add another 4 searches. A single list showing all moves on and off by date would be far more useful to the average user, who really has no interest in whether sent moves have been “completed” or indeed sent to the local authority, but merely for sent moves whether they are pending or sent, and for received whether they are pending or completed.
13. The received movement area doesn’t have “received movements” as a category only “sent movements” - presume this is a typo?
14. The legislation requires a user to notify BPEX using the system or phone of an intended move. This would create a “pending” move in the system. There is another duty on the receiver to notify BPEX by system or phone etc. within 3 days. There is nothing in the legislation requiring the confirmation of sending which os part of the PC process, but it looks likely that a receiver cannot confirm receipt of a move until this confirmation has been sent. Since there are no email reminders of pending moves (seem to remember there are for F/S?), it is quite possible for the sender to forget to confirm, at which point the whole process is held up? Since the sender is not breaking any law by doing this, what happens? If the receiver cannot use the system to notify within 3 days does he need to phone to be legal? If on the other hand (and of course I have no way to seeing how the system does things without doing real moves, and the guides do not cover all this stuff – see item 2!) the receiver can confirm, does this negate the need for the sender to confirm? And since this all seems to hold up the movement being sent to AH, this doesn’t really help them keep on top of what is happening in their area. In other words the whole system could fall apart, but everyone be legal ! Knowing how this process all works would be very useful as would a full guide!
15. A user has to enter dates (loading and departing) and time. This is presumably to cover the very rare but possible situation where pigs are starting to be loaded before midnight and completed after. This means that the user has to type the same date in twice and in long hand dd/mm/yyyy. Changing the second box to be called “Departure date if different” would allow a single date entry. The form subsequently could simply use the first box data in the “departure date” unless a different date is entered.
16. The ability to pick a date rather than enter date longhand from a calendar display would also aid accuracy of entry for loading (and departure dates), particularly where some farmers might be from say American origin and familiar with different orders.
17. Where a user has not yet registered, and the sender is entering details for a new location, they have to enter certain details (holding No. address, postcode etc.)- one of these boxes is called “company name” – the vast majority of pig keepers will not be companies – a simple “name” here would be better.
18. The Defra pig keeping guide (
www.defra.gov.uk/publications/files/pb13647-pig-keepers-guide.pdf) says that “The eAML2 system is run on 2 servers so there is always a back up if one server goes down. In the unlikely event that both servers are down keepers should revert to paper and forward a copy of the HS/MD to the MLCSL paper bureau for keying (the address for the MLCSL bureau is in Annex 1). It is advised that keepers keep blank copies of the HS template to allow for any such occurrence. HS/MD template is available from markets and MLCSL. “ This advice should be repeated on the e-aml site(and in the guide)
19. The Defra guide ((
www.defra.gov.uk/publications/files/pb13647-pig-keepers-guide.pdf) says on page 16 that an imported pig must be entered on the system – how is this achieved, as there appears to be no area on the system to do this.
20. I presume a/several further communications are planned before the April deadline setting out the new rules in detail. For instance a non-computer user has not been told that they must phone/fax etc. confirmation of move within 3 days, or indeed that they need to register.
21. Given that a receiver must confirm a move within 3 days [this is not working days in the legislation], can BPEX/Defra confirm that non-pc users, whilst guilty of an offence, will not be sanctioned for a move say over Easter, where it is not possible to do this due to help lines being closed.
22. If I search for myself as destination on a farm to farm, if I enter “holding no.” as first search item, and “slapmark” as second the system finds me. If Ii enter “slapmark” as first search item, and “holding no.” as second it does not. Postcode first and holding no. second also doesn’t find me, but other way around does.
23. I cannot pick farm address as second choice – why not?
24. There is no published fax no. for BPEX, what is the number, and can it be added to the website
Andrew - how do you wish me to progress these?
