To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many claimants he estimates will receive interest on their 2006 Single Farm Payments for sums paid after 30 June 2007; what he estimates the total amount of interest paid will be; and if he will make a statement. (148725)

The Secretary of State reported to the House on 2 July that about 2,900 claimants under the 2006 Single Payment Scheme had received a partial payment and were due a payment of the outstanding balance. In addition, the RPA had yet to complete work on about 2,000 claims to determine whether a payment is due in each case and the amounts of such payments. As the Secretary of State announced, the RPA will pay interest on payments made after 30 June. However, the Agency is not able to provide a robust estimate of the amount of interest due until the work on the outstanding cases has progressed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress has been made by the Rural Payments Agency in the implementation of the Single Payment Scheme; and if he will make a statement. (150592)

I reported progress on the Single Payment Scheme to the House on 2 July. The Rural Payments Agency continues to work on the remaining SPS 2006 claims. However, most of the Agency’s resources have been switched to reviewing SPS cases where entitlements may need to be adjusted.