Dr. Kevin Smyth:

We have had preliminary legal advice on the matter. We are aware of what needs to be done but I cannot give any promises. The members know how difficult it is to get legislation through the two Houses. I would be misleading the committee if I said I could give even a rough timeline.

On the 700 directive appeals, they tend to change from year to year depending on what is the most important thing at the time for schemes. For example, the main appeals in 2016 related to the agri-environment options scheme, basic payment scheme inspections, GLAS, areas of natural constraint schemes and the beef data and genomics programme.