To ask Her Majesty's Government how many applications under Regulation 3(2) of the Common Agricultural Policy Single Payment and Support Schemes (Horticulture) Regulations (2009/1771) were received by 13 August; how many applications were received after 13 August; and why applications had to be received by 13 August when the regulations came into force on 31 July. [HL330]

867 applications were received by 13 August and 73 were received after this date. Applications had to be received by 13 August 2009 in order not to attract late application penalties. Applications could be received up until 7 September with penalty. The 13 August date was set to allow time for the applications to be checked and processed and farmers notified of their entitlements allocation ahead of the 2010 SPS scheme year.

From summer 2008 Defra and the Rural Payments Agency worked with stakeholders to help identify farmers who were potentially eligible to apply for new entitlements for permanent fruit and vegetables, nursery crops and vines. A series of information notes to explain the application process and deadlines was sent from August 2008 to all those farmers who had expressed an interest in the new entitlements. In addition, the application deadline was included in brochures sent to all farmers and was also advertised in the specialist trade press.