Agriculture Act 1967

10 Calf subsidy schemes.

(1) A scheme under the [1952 c. 62.] Agriculture (Calf Subsidies) Act 1952 (subsidies in respect of calves born in the United Kingdom) may provide for the time when subsidy becomes payable in respect of a calf, the times by reference to which eligibility for a subsidy, or the rate of subsidy, is to be determined, or any other time relevant for the purposes of the scheme, to be times when the animal has ceased to be a calf, or when the animal whether still a calf or not is dead ; and accordingly—

(a) references in that Act to calves shall where the context admits include references to cattle or carcases, and

(b) section 1(1)(c) of that Act (under which the scheme must prescribe the limits of age for a calf eligible for subsidy) shall cease to have effect but without prejudice to the power to prescribe such a limit.

(2) The period to be specified in a scheme under the said Act (which, under section 1(3) of that Act, must not exceed three years) shall either—

(a) be one within which the date of birth must fall, or

(b) in such cases as the appropriate Minister may deter mine and in particular in cases where, at the time when eligibility for a subsidy is to be determined, the animal's date of birth cannot be satisfactorily ascertained from an inspection of the animal or carcase, be one within which must fall the date of certification, or the date when subsidy becomes payable, or any other date relevant for the purposes of the scheme;

and accordingly in section 1(1)(a) of the said Act the words " within the period specified in the scheme " shall cease to have effect.

(3) If under the last foregoing subsection periods are specified in different ways, the periods need not be concurrent.

(4) Section 1(5)(b) of the said Act (under which a scheme must not be varied so as to exclude or reduce subsidy in respect of a calf born before the coming into operation of the varying scheme) shall only apply so far as any variation is of the provisions under which subsidy is restricted to animals certified when still calves.

(5) Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing provisions of this section, the provisions of a scheme under the said Act may be such as to make it possible for the administration of the scheme to be combined with the administration of arrangements for payments to be made in respect of fatstock under Part I of the [1957 c. 57.] Agriculture Act 1957 (guaranteed prices); and such a scheme may frame the description of animals or carcases in respect of which subsidy is payable by reference to the descriptions of animals or carcases (whether prescribed by or under an order made under the said Part I) which for the time being govern eligibility for payments under the said Part I.

(6) In cases where subsidy is not restricted to animals certified when still calves, the appropriate Minister may, if he thinks fit, provide in the scheme that the rate of subsidy shall, instead of being specified in the scheme, be such amount as the appropriate Minister may with the approval of the Treasury determine as being approximately equivalent on the average to the rate of subsidy which would be payable if the case were one where subsidy is restricted to animals certified when still calves.

(7) A scheme under the said Act may provide for the delegation by the appropriate Minister of any functions conferred on him by the scheme.

(8) This and the next following section extend to Northern Ireland.