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Mr. McGrady
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how long it takes to process an application for grant aid under the Environmentally Sensitive Areas Scheme. [67030]
Mr. Paul Murphy
The average time, based on claims dealt with in the first 9 months of the current financial year, is 10.15 weeks.
Mr. McGrady
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many applications were made for grant aid under the Environmentally Sensitive Areas Scheme (a) in each year from 1 April 1995 to 31 March 1998 and (b) from 1 April to 31 December 1998; of these (i) how many have been approved, (ii) what payments were made, (iii) how many were refused and (iv) how many are outstanding. [67031]
Mr. Paul Murphy
The figures are as follows:
| 1995–96 | 1996–97 | 1997–98 | 1998–99 (to 31.12.98) | |
| Claims made | 1,107 | 2,173 | 2,655 | 2,557 |
| Claims paid | 1,107 | 2,173 | 2,655 | 1,492 |
| Approved | All | All | All | All |
| Refused | None | None | None | None |
| Outstanding | None | None | None | 1,065 |
| Payment total (£m) | 1.619 | 2.752 | 4.921 | 4.477 |