HC Deb 29 March 1993 vol 222 cc46-7W
Mr. Clifton-Brown

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what rights inspectors will have to enter on to farms and demand production of records to check the accuracy of information given in connection with the integrated administration and control system.

Mr. Curry

We shall shortly be laying before the House regulations which will provide the powers of entry to farms and access to records in connection with the integrated administration and control system necessary to undertake the control procedures required to meet EC obligations.

Mr. Clifton-Brown

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make it his policy to raise with(a) the European Commission and (b) the other members of the EC Council of Agriculture Ministers the co-ordination of the integrated administration and control system for farms in each member state; and what steps he will take to ensure that British farmers are not subject to more rigorous requirements than farmers elsewhere in the EC.

Mr. Curry

At the March meeting of the Agriculture Council, my right hon. Friend emphasised that it was crucial for the European Commission to ensure that the integrated administration and control system was implemented fully and uniformly throughout the EC.

Mr. Clifton-Brown

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the appropriateness of the proposed penalties as outlined in the draft booklet RSAS 4 Dec. (1) issued by his Department for late and inaccurate forms submitted in connection with the integrated administration and control system.

Mr. Curry

The penalties for late and/or inaccurate forms in connection with IACS are laid down in Community legislation and consequently apply equally in all EC member states. The IACS is intended to help control CAP expenditure and penalties for infringements of the rules have to be set accordingly.

Mr. Clifton-Brown

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what will be the procedure to appeal against his Department's decisions relating to forms submitted in accordance with the intregrated administration and control system.

Mr. Curry

It is open to any farmer to contact his regional service centre if he is dissatisfied.

Mr. Clifton-Brown

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make it his policy to ensure that deregulation is being applied to the forms required for the integrated administration and control system to keep them as simple as possible.

Mr. Curry

The forms have to reflect the requirements of the EC legislation. Subject to this, we have made the forms as simple as possible for farmers to understand.

Mr. Clifton-Brown

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what consideration he has given to the effect of the integrated administration and control system on the transfer of land from one occupier to another.

Mr. Curry

This mater is covered in the explanatory booklet on the integrated administration and control system.

Mr. Clifton-Brown

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what opportunities there will be to correct genuine errors on integrated administration and control system forms after 15 May.

Mr. Curry

The booklet on the integrated administration and control system will set out conditions for the correction of genuine errors.

Mr. Clifton-Brown

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects the application forms for the integrated administration and control system to be published.

Mr. Curry

An explanatory booklet on the integrated administration and control system and area aid application forms will be dispatched to farmers in England and Wales on 2 April. Copies have been deposited in the Library of the House.