HL Deb 09 November 1999 vol 606 cc144-5WA
Lord Vivian

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What arrangements exist in each member state of the European Union for farmers to appeal against Ministry of Agriculure rulings on the Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS). [HL4487]

Baroness Hayman

My officials are currently in the process of gathering the information requested by the noble Lord. I will write to the noble Lord when that exercise has been completed.

Lord Vivian

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What remedial steps are available to a farmer who has his field areas measured in two successive years by the Ministry of Agriculture inspectors for the Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS), with different results in each of the years, when there have been no changes in field boundaries. [HL4488]

Baroness Hayman

A case involving the circumstances referred to by the noble Lord would need to be considered carefully by the appropriate MAFF Regional Service Centre (RSC). There would be no impact on a farmer's IACS claim as long as any discrepancy between two measurements of the same field fell within the margins of error for the type of measuring method employed.

The sanctions that can be applied to claims, which take the form either of reductions in payments or of administrative penalties, are laid clown in the EU IACS legislation. If farmers wish to seek redress against sanctions, they may appeal directly to their RSC to senior officials or through their Member of Parliament to Ministers, or apply for a judicial review of the Ministry's decision. If they feel that their case has not been properly administered, they can ask their MP to raise it with the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration.