(This note is not part of the Regulations)
1. These Regulations make a number of textual amendments to the Beef Special Premium Regulations 1993 (S. I.1993/1734).
2. Like those Regulations, these Regulations extend to Great Britain only.
3. The principal amendments are the insertion of two new regulations, new regulations 9A and 9B.
4. New regulation 9A enables beef special premium payments otherwise payable to be reduced or withheld and such payments already made to be recovered where excessive numbers of male bovine animals are being grazed and maintained on land which the appropriate Minister has identified as being overgrazed.
5. New regulation 9B enables beef special premium payments otherwise payable to be reduced or withheld if the applicant uses unsuitable supplementary feeding methods.
6. Definitions of “overgrazed”, “Scheme year” and “unsuitable supplementary feeding methods” are inserted by these Regulations into regulation 2(1) of S. I.1993/1734. The phrase “Scheme year” is used in new regulations 9A and 9B.
7. Regulation 11(4) of S. I.1993/1734 is amended by the insertion of an additional sub-paragraph, (d), which enables authorised persons to inspect land in order to determine whether or not it has been overgrazed or unsuitable supplementary feeding methods have been used on it.
8. The amendments referred to in paragraphs 3 to 7 above give effect to Article 4g4a of Council Regulation (EEC) No.805/68, as amended, which provision was inserted by Article 1(3) of Council Regulation (EC) No. 3611/93. The definition of Council Regulation 805/68 found in regulation 2(1) of S. I.1993/1734 has been amended by these Regulations to reflect the insertion referred to in this paragraph.
9. There is also effected by these Regulations an amendment to the definition of “third country” found in regulation 2(1) of S. I.1993/1734.
10. A compliance cost assessment has been prepared and has been deposited in the Library of each House of Parliament.