The Sheep Annual Premium (Amendment) Regulations 1994

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

1.  These Regulations, which come into force on 15th November 1994, make a number of textual amendments to the Sheep Annual Premium Regulations 1992 (S.I. 1992/2677). Like those 1992 Regulations, these Regulations extend to Great Britain only.

2.  The principal amendments are the insertion of two new regulations, new regulations 3A and 3B.

3.  New regulation 3A enables sheep annual premium payments otherwise payable to be reduced or withheld and such payments already made to be recovered where excessive numbers of sheep are being grazed and maintained on land which the competent authority has identified as being overgrazed.

4.  New regulation 3B enables sheep annual premium payments otherwise payable to be reduced or withheld if the applicant uses unsuitable supplementary feeding methods.

5.  Definitions of “overgrazed” and “unsuitable supplementary feeding methods” are inserted into regulation 2(1) of S.I. 1992/2677.

6.  Regulation 5(5) of S.I. 1992/2677 is amended by the insertion of an additional sub-paragraph, (e), which enables authorised officers to inspect land in order to determine whether or not is has been overgrazed or unsuitable supplementary feeding methods have been used on it.

7.  The amendments referred to in paragraphs 2 to 6 above give effect to Article 5(d) of Council Regulation (EEC) No. 3013/89 (OJ No. L289, 7.10.89, p.1), as amended, which provision was inserted by Article 1(3) of Council Regulation (EC) No. 233/94 (OJ No. L30, 3.2.94, p.9).

8.  Other minor amendments are made to regulation 2(1) of S.I. 1992/2677 (definition of “the Commission Regulation”), regulation 3 thereof (application for premium), regulation 4 thereof (keeping and retention of a register) and regulation 7 thereof (rate of interest); and regulation 8 of S.I. 1992/2677 is revoked.

9.  A compliance cost assessment has been prepared and has been deposited in the Library of each House of Parliament.