This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Review of seed and crop charges
02/08/2004
The Executive today announced that it will take action
to repay £900,000 (including interest) in charges which
have been levied for a number of plant and seed variety
services.
A review of the charging basis for services provided by
the Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs
Department (SEERAD) found that a number of these charges
were not adequately provided for in legislation.
Refunds will be paid against fees levied over a six year
period for:
* Seed Testing
* Seed samplers courses and examinations
* Seed testing courses/examinations
* Crop inspections for certification
* Crop Inspectors courses
* HVS verification
* Sampling of seed lots
* Sale of labels, seals & sampling patches
Organisations and individuals who are to be repaid will
be contacted in due course.
At the same time, work is underway to place fees for
these services on a proper legal footing. In some instances
this will involve new legislation and where this is the
case, customers will be informed in good time of its
introduction. Repayments will be made for a period of six
years immediately prior to the charges being made lawful
or, where the charges have yet to be put on a lawful basis,
to the date the charges were suspended.
Similar reviews have been conducted for services
provided by Defra and the other Devolved Administrations in
Wales and Northern Ireland.