Agriculture: Subsidies

Bob Spink
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many direct payments to farmers under the Common Agricultural Policy Single Payment Scheme have been reduced by (a) five per cent. and less and (b) 20 per cent. or more in (i) England, (ii) Essex and (iii) Castle Point constituency in each of the last five years.

Jim Fitzpatrick
The number of payments to Single Payment Scheme claimants in England that have been reduced by (a) 5 per cent. and less and (b) 20 per cent. or more as a result of the application of penalties during each scheme year since the scheme’s introduction is provided in the following table.

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|SPS scheme year                                                                        |5 per cent. and less|20 per cent. or more|
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|2005                                                                                   |9,597               |3,060               |
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|2006                                                                                   |8,406               |1,487               |
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|2007                                                                                   |9,062               |1,508               |
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|20081                                                                                  |15,173              |1672                |
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|1 These numbers may increase when all payments for the 2008 scheme year have been made.|                    |                    |
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Unfortunately the data required to provide payment information for Essex and Castle Point constituency are not held in a form that is easily accessible. The information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.