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Unsuitable supplementary feeding methods

6.—(1) Where, in any scheme year, the applicant uses unsuitable supplementary feeding methods, the Department may—

(a)in accordance with paragraph (2), reduce or withhold the amount of premium otherwise payable to him in respect of that scheme year; or

(b)where premium has already been paid to him, recover any premium so paid.

(2) Where the applicant was not penalised for using unsuitable supplementary feeding methods under paragraph (1) nor under any of the provisions specified in paragraph (3) in the preceding scheme year, the amount of premium referred to in paragraph (1) may be reduced by ten per cent; where the applicant was so penalised in the preceding scheme year, but not in the scheme year before that, that amount may be reduced by twenty per cent; and where the applicant was so penalised in each of the two preceding scheme years that amount may be withheld.

(3) The provisions referred to in paragraph (2) are—

(a)regulation 3B of the Suckler Cow Premium Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1993;

(b)regulation 11 of the Beef Special Premium (Protection of Payments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996;

(c)regulation 3B of the Sheep Annual Premium Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1992;

(d)regulation 9 of the Slaughter Premium Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001;

(e)regulation 8(3) of the Hill Livestock (Compensatory Allowances) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999; and

(f)regulation 8 of the Beef Special Premium Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001.