The Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 19543 shall apply to these Regulations as it applies to an Act of the Northern Ireland Assembly.

In these Regulations—

• “agent” means a person authorised in writing by the Department for the purposes of these Regulations;

• “application” means an application for the approval of an operation made under regulation 4;

• “approved” in relation to any expenditure means approved by the Department or the agent;

• “approved operation” means an operation which has been approved by the Department or an agent under regulation 5;

• “authorisation”, in relation to an agent, means an authorisation in writing under this regulation;

• “authorised person” means a person authorised by the Department to enforce these Regulations;

• “beneficiary” means—

  1. a

     a person who has applied for and been granted an approval for an operation, and

  2. b

     in relation to any time after grant has been paid in connection with the approval, the person to whom the grant has been paid;

• “the Department” means the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development;

• “electronic communication” has the same meaning as in the Electronic Communications Act (Northern Ireland) 20014;

• “financial assistance” means an amount paid or payable under these Regulations;

• “operation” means an investment or project in Northern Ireland which is the subject of an application.

A reference in these Regulations to anything done in writing or produced in written form includes a reference to an electronic communication which has been recorded and is consequently capable of being reproduced.