1999 No. 1370

AGRICULTURE

The Environmentally Sensitive Areas (South Wessex Downs) Designation (Amendment) Order 1999

Made

Laid before Parliament

Coming into force

Whereas, pursuant to section 18(1) of the Agriculture Act 19861, the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (“the Minister”) has by order designated an area in the South Wessex Downs as an environmentally sensitive area;

Now therefore the Minister, in exercise of the powers conferred on him by section 18(1) and (4)(d)2 of the said Act, and of all other powers enabling him in that behalf, with the consent of the Treasury, makes the following Order:

Title and commencement1

This Order may be cited as the Environmentally Sensitive Areas (South Wessex Downs) Designation (Amendment) Order 1999 and shall come into force on 15th June 1999.

Interpretation2

In this Order, “the principal Order” means the Environmentally Sensitive Areas (South Wessex Downs) Designation Order 19933.

Amendment of the principal Order

3

The principal Order shall be amended in accordance with the following provisions of this Order.

4

In Schedule 2 to the principal Order (management activities), in Part I–

a

in paragraph 3, for “55” there shall be substituted “60”;

b

in paragraph 4(c), for “230” there shall be substituted “80”; and

c

after paragraph 8, there shall be inserted–

i

in column 1–

9

The reversion of arable land to permanent grassland.

ii

in column 2, “230”.

5

In Part II of Schedule 2 to the principal Order, for “45” there shall be substituted “38”.

Saving6

Articles 4 and 5 of this Order shall not apply in respect of any payment to a farmer which relates to any period before 1st May 1999.

Elliot MorleyParliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

We consent,

Jane KennedyJim DowdTwo of the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty’s Treasury

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order amends the Environmentally Sensitive Areas (South Wessex Downs) Designation Order 1993 (S.I.1993/86) (“the principal Order”), which designated an area in South Wessex Downs as an environmentally sensitive area. The principal Order implemented Council Regulation (EEC) No. 2078/92 (OJNo. L215, 30.7.92, p. 85) on agricultural production methods compatible with the requirements of protection of the environment and the maintenance of the countryside, as amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No. 2772/95 (OJNo. L288, 1.12.95, p. 35), as in turn rectified by Commission Regulation (EC) No. 1962/96 (OJNo. L259, 12.10.96, p. 7).

Subject to a saving provision, this Order amends the maximum rate of payment to be made by the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in respect of the management of downland turf, the creation and management of conservation headlands and the maintenance of improved permanent grassland and low input permanent grassland.

In addition the Order introduces a new management activity in respect of the reversion of arable land to permanent grassland and a maximum rate of payment in respect of the same.

No regulatory appraisal has been made in respect of this Order.