§ Mr. McQuarrieasked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what is the current delay in the payment of the suckler cow premium; and what action he proposes to take in order to eliminate this delay;
(2) what is the reason for the delay in payment to farmers of the beef cow subsidy; and when the delay will be overcome.
§ Mr. John MackayThe closing date for receipt of applications for suckler cow premium (sometimes referred to as beef cow subsidy) in 1986 was 30 September and the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland began processing applications in October that year. Approximately 9,000 applications were received and by the week ending 7 February payment had been made on 7,650 of them. Most of the remaining outstanding cases are those who have not yet responded to the income check which the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland is obliged to make on a random selection of applicants in order to ensure that the condition of the scheme that not less than half of an applicant's annual income is derived from farming is met. For 1986 such a check was made on approximately 30 per cent. of all applicants.