§ Mr. KeetchTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for what reason the IACS payment due to be paid by 31 January is being withheld; and if she will make a statement. [27954]
§ Mr. MorleyThe RPA expects to be able to pay the vast majority of Arable Area Payment Scheme (AAPS) claims within the regulatory time frame, which ends on 31 January. However, because of the processing time that has been lost due to industrial action, (which was suspended on 11 January), it is likely that more claims than usual will be carried over into February. Every effort will be made to keep this to the absolute minimum. As at 16 January 81 per cent. of AAPS claims have been passed for payment.
§ Mr. KeyTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many farmers in Wiltshire applied for assistance under the IACS scheme in(a) 2000 and (b) 2001; and of these how many have been paid. [28834]
§ Mr. Morley989 IACS (Arable Area Payment Scheme) applications were received from farmers in Wiltshire in 2000 and 983 have been paid.
The figures for 2001 are 979 IACS applications of which 562 have been paid. 2001 applications are still being processed.