Countryside Management Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008

Recovery of payments etc

14.—(1) The powers conferred by Regulation 13 are—

(a) to withhold all or any part of any sums payable to the beneficiary by way of grant;

(b) to recover on demand all or any part of any sums already paid to the beneficiary by way of grant; and

(c) to require the beneficiary to pay to the Department an additional sum equal to no more than 10% of all the sums paid or payable to him by way of grant.

(2) Where the Department takes any steps specified in paragraph (1), it may also suspend or terminate any entitlement of the beneficiary to grant.

(3) The powers conferred on the Department by paragraph (2) shall be exercisable by a notice served on the beneficiary in question.

(4) Before exercising any of the powers specified in paragraphs (1) or (2), the Department shall—

(a) give the beneficiary a written explanation of the reasons for the action it proposes to take;

(b) afford the beneficiary the opportunity of making an appeal either in writing or in person to a person appointed for that purpose by the Department; and

(c) consider the report of the appointed person and supply a copy of the report to the applicant.