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Dairy Farming

Volume 494: debated on Monday 15 June 2009

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will bring forward proposals for the Government to underwrite the payments that Dairy Farmers of Britain were due to make to dairy farmers for milk supplied in May 2009. (279908)

I am deeply concerned and saddened by the situation facing farming members and other employees of Dairy Farmers of Britain, following the announcement to call in the receivers (PricewaterhouseCoopers) on 3 June.

Publicly-funded schemes such as those available through Business Link are available to assist SMEs that find themselves in difficulties. Farmers who are in need of business advice should contact Business Link in their region. HMRC's Business Payment Support Service is also available for businesses which are finding it difficult to meet their tax commitments for the sorts of reasons faced by the farmers of Dairy Farmers of Britain.

Ministers have been in discussions with senior industry leaders and officials remain in close contact with the receivers to ensure that those who might need to access these schemes know how to do so.