In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires—

• “the appropriate Minister” means—

  1. a

     in relation to England, the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food; and

  2. b

     in relation to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, the Secretary of State;

• “authorised person” means a person (whether or not an officer of the Minister or the Secretary of State) who is authorised by the appropriate Minister, either generally or specially, to act in matters arising under these Regulations;

• “beef producer” means a producer within the meaning of Article 4(a) of Council Regulation (EEC) No. 805/683 on the common organisation of the market in beef and veal;

• “holding” has the meaning given by Article 4(a) of Council Regulation (EEC) No. 805/68;

• “movement record”, in relation to a bovine animal, means a record made for the purposes of recording the movement of the animal to or from a holding;

• “payment” means a payment under these Regulations; and

• “the specified period”, for the purposes of regulation 5, is the period of four years beginning on the date on which an application for payment was delivered to the appropriate Minister.

Except in so far as the context otherwise requires, any reference in these Regulations to a numbered regulation shall be construed as a reference to the regulation bearing that number in these Regulations.