The Sheep Annual Premium Regulations 1992

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations, which come into force on 13th November 1992 and apply throughout Great Britain, revoke and re-enact with amendments the Sheep Annual Premium Regulations 1984 (S.I. 1984/2005), as amended. They make provision for the implementation of Commission Regulation (EEC) No 3007/84 (defined in regulation 2(1)) laying down detailed rules for the payment of premium to producers of sheepmeat. The general rules on the common organization of the market in sheepmeat and goatmeat are laid down by Council Regulation (EEC) No 3013/89 (OJ No L289, 7.10.89, p.1) and Article 5 of that Regulation provides for the payment of a premium to producers of sheepmeat.

In addition to drafting amendments, these Regulations make the following changes of substance, they–

(a) amend the definition of an “authorised officer” so as to include any person, whether or not an officer of that authority, authorised by the competent authority (regulation 2(1));

(b) require producers to keep, retain and produce a register containing specified information (regulation 4);

(c) extend the powers of an authorised officer to inspect records including those kept by means of a computer and confer power to seize and retain such records (regulation 5(5));

(d) require a producer or an employee, servant or agent of a producer to give an authorised officer such assistance as he may reasonably request (regulation 6);

(e) specify a rate of interest for the purpose of Article 6(5) of the Commission Regulation (regulation 7);

(f) confer upon a competent authority power to recover a payment returnable under Article 6 of the Commission Regulation together with interest thereon (regulation 8);

(g) specify the penalty for offences as a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale (regulation 9(3)).

The Regulations–

(i) prescribe the periods for the making of application for premium (regulation 3);

(ii) require producers to keep, retain and produce a register (regulation 4);

(iii) confer on authorised officers of the competent authority powers of entry for the purposes of the Regulations and require that assistance be given to them for the exercise of their powers as they may reasonably request (regulations 5 and 6);

(iv) specify a rate of interest and empower competent authorities to recover payments together with interest thereon (regulations 7 and 8);

(v) create offences and penalties (regulation 9).