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Single Farm Payments

Volume 450: debated on Monday 23 October 2006

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the Rural Payments Agency will begin to distribute single farm payments for 2006-07; if he will give a date by which his Department expects all payments to be made; and if he will make a statement. (92740)

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State said in his statement on 22 June 2006, Official Report, column 1478, that delivery of the 2006 single payment scheme will be very challenging and that he did not want to commit to a particular payment timetable until the chief executive of the Rural Payments Agency has had an opportunity make a realistic assessment of the prospects. That remains the position.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs by what date farmers in England are expected to receive the full balance of their 2005 Single Payment Scheme payment. (93506)

[holding answer 17 October 2006]: As at 11 October, 113,461 claimants (97.41 per cent.) had received a total of £1.504 billion (99.27 per cent.) in full or partial payments based on an estimated total number of eligible claimants of 116,474 and an estimated total fund value of £1.515 billion.

Of approximately 3,000 customers who have yet to receive any payment, most have claims valued below €1,000 (£682). This figure includes 75 outstanding priority one customers (those due an estimated €1,000 or above) with complex cases involving issues such as probate, liquidation and business partnership disputes. In addition, some 6,361 customers are awaiting the balance to their partial payment.

The RPA will pay the outstanding sums in all these cases as soon as possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when farmers in the East Midlands are expected to receive the full balance of their 2005 single payment scheme payment. (95182)

The Single Payment Scheme is not administered on a regional basis, so it is not possible to identify specific payments outstanding to farmers in the East Midlands.

The RPA will endeavour to pay outstanding cases as soon as possible, although it is not possible to suggest a timeframe to clear all cases.

As at 11 October, 113,461 claimants (97.41 per cent.) had received a total of £1.504 billion (99.27 per cent.) in full or partial payments based on an estimated total number of claimants of 116,474 and an estimated total fund value of £1.515 billion.

Of approximately 3,000 customers who have yet to receive a payment, most have claims valued below €1,000 (£682). This figure includes 75 outstanding priority one customers (those due an estimated €1,000 or above) with complex cases involving issues such as probate, liquidation and business partnership disputes.