Less Favoured Area Support Scheme (Scotland) Regulations 2002 (S.S.I. No. 139 of 2002).

These Regulations make provision for the purposes of implementation of Council Regulation (EC) No. 1257/1999 on support for rural development from the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund and Commission Regulation (EC) No. 1750/1999 laying down detailed rules for the application of Council Regulation No. 1257/1999. They apply to holdings in respect of which the Scottish Ministers are the competent authority under the Integrated Administration and Control System Regulations 1993. Applications for less favoured area support are to be made to the Scottish Ministers; eligibility for payment of support is dependent upon the applicant meeting the criteria set out in regulation 4. It can only be paid to an applicant who carries out an eligible agricultural activity (defined in regulation 2) on eligible land (defined in regulation 6). No payment will be made where the amount of eligible land is less than 3 hectares (regulation 5). Support is paid for eligible hectares on farms in Scottish less favoured areas at specified rates. There is provision at regulation 6(6) to allow Scottish Ministers to determine the total number of livestock units where an applicant has not been able to achieve the minimum stocking density because of slaughter in consequence of foot and mouth disease.