Agriculture Act 2020

11 Power to provide for phasing out direct payments

(1) The Secretary of State may by regulations make provision for or in connection with phasing out direct payments under the basic payment scheme in relation to England over the agricultural transition period for England.

(2) See section 12(7) for circumstances in which subsection (1) (with any regulations made under it) may cease to have effect before the end of that period by virtue of provision for delinked payments having been made.

(3) In subsection (1) “phasing out” means taking steps to secure that, on one or more occasions before the end of the agricultural transition period for England, there are reductions in the amounts paid out to some or all of those entitled to receive direct payments under the basic payment scheme.

(4) If provision for terminating greening payments is made under section 9(2) (whether before or after the start of the agricultural transition period for England) subsection (1) above has effect as if the reference to direct payments does not include (or no longer includes) the greening payment element of direct payments.

(5) Regulations under this section are subject to affirmative resolution procedure.