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23.—(1) An applicant may, no later than 60 days following the date of intimation of the Scottish Ministers’ decision as to the eligibility of the holding under regulation 5, make an application in writing to the Scottish Ministers to have that decision reviewed by persons appointed by the Scottish Ministers for that purpose.
(2) An application under this regulation is to be treated as made if it is received by the Scottish Ministers.
(3) The application must be accompanied by such information as the persons appointed consider necessary.
(4) Such persons appointed under paragraph (1) must review the decision and notify their determination to the Scottish Ministers, and by recorded delivery mail to the applicant, within 10 days of reaching that determination.
(5) Subject to regulation 24, the determination of such persons appointed is binding on the Scottish Ministers.
(6) The Scottish Ministers may make such payment, by way of fee or reimbursement of expenses, to any such persons appointed under paragraph (1), as appears to them to be appropriate.
24.—(1) An applicant may apply to the Scottish Ministers in writing for review of the determination referred to in regulation 23(4).
(2) The applicant must apply to the Scottish Ministers for review within 60 days of the notification of the determination to the applicant in accordance with regulation 23(4).
(3) On an application for a review under this regulation, the Scottish Ministers must refer the matter to a person appointed by the Chair of the Scottish Branch of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors to carry out the functions in paragraph (4).
(4) The person appointed under paragraph (3) must review the determination referred to in regulation 23(4) and may—
(a)consider any document or other evidence produced by the applicant or the Scottish Ministers (whether or not that document or other evidence was available at the time of the determination);
(b)invite the applicant and the Scottish Ministers to provide such further information relevant to the review as the person appointed considers appropriate; and
(c)give the applicant and the Scottish Ministers an opportunity to give evidence or to make representations in person or through a representative.
(5) The person appointed to review the determination must make a decision confirming or revoking that determination, and notify that decision to the Scottish Ministers and to the applicant in writing.
(6) The person appointed is entitled to require the reasonable costs of the review to be paid by such party as that person may direct, and the person appointed must determine the amount of such costs.
25.—(1) The Rural Payments (Appeals) (Scotland) Regulations 2009(1) are amended in accordance with this regulation.
(2) In the Schedule (relevant decisions)—
(a)for paragraph 13 substitute—
“13. A decision of the Scottish Ministers under regulation 4(1)(b), 5, 7(1), 9(4)(b), 10(7), 11(4) or 16 of the Less Favoured Area Support Scheme (Scotland) Regulations 2007(2).”; and
(b)after paragraph 13 insert—
“13A. A decision by the Scottish Ministers under regulation 3(1)(b), 3(2), 3(3), 4, 5(3), 9(4)(a), 9(7), 10(3) or 15 of the Less Favoured Area Support Scheme (Scotland) Regulations 2010.”.
26.—(1) Subject to the savings referred to in paragraph (2), the 2007 Regulations (except regulation 26(2)), the Less Favoured Area Support Scheme (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2008(3) and the Less Favoured Area Support Scheme (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2009(4) are revoked.
(2) In respect of a Scheme 2007 payment, a Scheme 2008 payment or a Scheme 2009 payment within the meaning of the 2007 Regulations, the 2007 Regulations, the Less Favoured Area Support Scheme (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2008 and the Less Favoured Area Support Scheme (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2009 shall continue to have effect as if those Regulations had not been revoked.