The Agriculture (Financial Assistance) Regulations 2021

Part 3 Payments of financial assistance, monitoring and record keeping

Payments under the environmental land management pilot scheme

7.—(1) Where an agreement holder has incurred capital expenditure and submitted a request for payment under the environmental land management pilot scheme, the Secretary of State may require the agreement holder to provide additional information or evidence in support of that payment request.

(2) Where the Secretary of State has requested information or evidence under paragraph (1), the agreement holder must provide that information or evidence within any deadlines specified by the Secretary of State.

(3) Where the agreement holder has not provided the information or evidence requested under paragraph (1), the Secretary of State may withhold financial assistance until such time as the Secretary of State is in receipt of that information or evidence.

(4) Any payments made by the Secretary of State must be to a verified bank or building society account of the agreement holder.

(5) The agreement holder must notify the Secretary of State, without delay, of any anticipated or actual changes to that person’s bank or building society account.

(6) Where the Secretary of State receives a notification under paragraph (5), the Secretary of State may withhold payments until such time as the Secretary of State is satisfied that the changes have been checked and verified.

(7) Where an agreement holder is awarded financial assistance under the environmental land management pilot scheme, that person must submit an annual declaration to the Secretary of State confirming compliance with the conditions subject to which that financial assistance is given.

Payments under the CS scheme, the farming investment fund scheme and the tree health pilot scheme

8.—(1) Where an agreement holder has submitted a request for payment under the CS scheme, the farming investment fund scheme or the tree health pilot scheme, the Secretary of State may require the agreement holder to provide additional information or evidence in support of that payment.

(2) Where the Secretary of State has requested information or evidence under paragraph (1), the agreement holder must provide that information or evidence within any deadlines specified by the Secretary of State.

(3) Where the agreement holder has not provided the information or evidence requested under paragraph (1), the Secretary of State may withhold financial assistance until such time as the Secretary of State is in receipt of that information or evidence.

(4) Any payments made by the Secretary of State must be to a verified bank or building society account of the agreement holder.

(5) The agreement holder must notify the Secretary of State, without delay, of any anticipated or actual changes to that person’s bank or building society account.

(6) Where the Secretary of State receives a notification under paragraph (5), the Secretary of State may withhold payments until such time as the Secretary of State is satisfied that the changes have been checked and verified.

Checking and monitoring

9.  An agreement holder must supply, in such manner and at such times as the Secretary of State may specify, such information or evidence as the Secretary of State may require for the purposes of—

(a) checking whether the eligibility criteria for receipt of financial assistance continue to be met;

(b) verifying compliance with conditions subject to which financial assistance is given;

(c) monitoring the extent to which the purpose of financial assistance has been, or will be, achieved; and

(d) reviewing or evaluating—

(i) any of the activities carried out by the agreement holder under the financial assistance scheme; and

(ii) the success of the financial assistance scheme as a whole.

Record keeping

10.  Where an agreement holder is required to keep records in accordance with their agreement, that person must provide copies to the Secretary of State in such manner and at such times as the Secretary of State may specify.