The Seed Potatoes (Fees) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2007

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations, which come into force on 1st January 2008, amend the Seed Potatoes (Fees) (Scotland) Regulations 2005 (“the 2005 Regulations”), which set fees payable to the Scottish Ministers for certain matters arising under the Seed Potatoes (Scotland) Regulations 2000.

Regulation 4 inserts an administration fee of £25 where an arrangement has been made by an applicant for an official examination of tubers to take place on a particular day but the applicant cancels the arrangement on that day.

Regulation 5 makes provision for fees in connection with crop inspections for test and trial seed potatoes and official examination of tubers in respect of such crops. It also substitutes new fees for nuclear stock in paragraph 6 of the Schedule to the 2005 Regulations as follows–

Matter	Old Fee	New Fee
Fees for nuclear stock–
(a) initiation of new nuclear stock;	£159.00 (6 microplants)	£169.00 (6 microplants)
(a) provision of in vitro maintained nuclear stock; and	£46.00 (6 microplants)	£48.00 (6 microplants)
(a) in vitro maintenance of nuclear stock.	£65.00 annual fee (per variety)	£69.00 annual fee (per variety)

Regulation 6 revokes the Seed Potatoes (Fees) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2006, which amended the 2005 Regulations to insert the old fees for nuclear stock listed above.

A regulatory impact assessment has been prepared in respect of these Regulations and has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre. Copies can be obtained from The Scottish Government Rural Directorate, Pentland House, Robb’s Loan, Edinburgh, EH14 1TY.