The Hill Livestock (Compensatory Allowances) Regulations 1993

Compensatory allowances

3.—(1) Subject to the provisions of these Regulations, the appropriate Minister may, in respect of the year 1994 and each succeeding year, pay to any person who is on the qualifying day in that year the occupier of eligible land, a compensatory allowance for cattle and sheep owned or leased under a formal leasing arrangement by him on that day, being cattle comprised in a regular breeding herd and sheep comprised in a qualified flock.

(2) A compensatory allowance in respect of any year shall be paid to an occupier of eligible land only if (except in the case of such an occupier who is in receipt of a retirement pension) he has entered into a written undertaking in such form as the appropriate Minister may require to the effect that he will, for a period of five years from the first payment of a compensatory allowance made under these Regulations, the 1992 Regulations or the 1984 Regulations, continue to use eligible land for agricultural purposes.

(3) Subject to regulations 3(5), 3(6) and 4, a compensatory allowance for cattle shall be payable in respect of the number of breeding cows comprised in a herd on the qualifying day at a rate of 20.3 ECU per cow.

(4) Subject to regulations 3(5), 3(6) and 5, a compensatory allowance for sheep shall be payable in respect of the number of ewes comprised in a flock on the qualifying day at a rate of 3.045 ECU per ewe.

(5) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraphs (3) and (4) above, the total amount of a compensatory allowance which may be paid in respect of any year–

(a) to the occupier of severely disadvantaged land, shall not exceed £81.13 or 123 ECU for each hectare of such land which appears to the appropriate Minister to have been available to that occupier in the preceding year for the maintenance of his herd or flock or which is relevant afforested land;

(b) to the occupier of disadvantaged land, shall not exceed £60.85 or 123 ECU for each hectare of such land which appears to the appropriate Minister to have been available to that occupier in the preceding year for the maintenance of his herd or flock or which is relevant afforested land.

(6) Where in this regulation alternative rates in sterling and in ECU are given, the rate which results in the lower payment in sterling shall apply.