1998 No. 79

AGRICULTURE

The Nitrate Sensitive Areas (Amendment) Regulations 1998

Made

Laid before Parliament

Coming into force

The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, being a Minister designated1 for the purpose of section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 19722 in relation to the common agricultural policy of the European Community, in exercise of the powers conferred by that section and of all other powers enabling him in that behalf, hereby makes the following Regulations:

Title and commencement and extent1

These Regulations may be cited as the Nitrate Sensitive Areas (Amendment) Regulations 1998, shall come into force on 1st April 1998 and shall extend to England.

Amendment of previous Regulations2

The Nitrate Sensitive Areas Regulations 19943 shall be amended in Schedule 6 as follows:

a

in paragraph 4 (Option B—Conversion of arable land to species—rich grassland, unfertilised and ungrazed), in column 2—

i

for “£590” there shall be substituted “£625”; and

ii

for “£490” there shall be substituted “£525”; and

b

in paragraph 6B (Set-aside Option), for “£388” there shall be substituted “£376”.

Elliot MorleyParliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

(This note is not part of these Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Nitrate Sensitive Areas Regulations 1994 as amended, which make provision for the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to make payments of aid to farmers in nitrate sensitive areas and determine the rates of payment in accordance with Article 5(1)(b) of Council Regulation (EEC) No. 2078/92 (OJNo. L215, 30.7.92, p.85). These Regulations increase the annual payment rate payable on land converted from arable to species-rich grassland (Premium Arable Scheme, Option B) and reduce the rate for the set-aside option.

No regulatory appraisal has been prepared in respect of these Regulations.