§ Mr. Charles KennedyTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will bring forward, from September 1998, the payment of those European Union hill farming subsidies available to United Kingdom agriculture; and if he will make a statement. [46942]
Dr. John CunninghamThere are two subsidies specific to hill farmers: Hill Livestock Compensatory Allowances (HLCAs) and the Less Favoured Area (LFA) supplement under the Sheep Annual Premium (SAP) scheme. HLCAs are paid in the spring. The SAP LFA supplement is paid in two stages in tandem with payments of the basic premium, after rates for the latter have been fixed in Brussels. For the 1998 scheme year, we expect to pay a 90 per cent. advance of the LFA supplement over July and August and the balance next April. The agriculture departments try to make all subsidy payments as early as possible.