§ 56. Mr. Hurdasked the Minister of Food what time has elapsed between the end of each accounting period and the dispatch of wheat deficiency payments to farmers for the 1954 crop; and whether calculating machines have yet been introduced to speed up the process of payment.
§ The Minister of Food (Mr. Heathcoat Amory)About 11 weeks, the first four of which are allowed for the receipt of claims. The work is fully mechanised.
§ Mr. HurdWill the right hon. Gentleman keep as his aim the shortening of that period of 11 weeks? It is a very long time. Would it not be possible to work to eight weeks at the longest?
Mr. AmoryMy hon. Friend will remember that in the booklet on the scheme, published a year ago, we said that the period would be two to three months. We shall aim at getting it as near as we possibly can to two months. I hope that we shall be successful.