§ Mr. Colvinasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he is taking to speed up Community payments to farmers which are now running at three months in arrears for the farm and horticultural development scheme, and four months in arrears for payments on intervention grain; and if he intends to make any reimbursement to farmers for loss of interest on money due to these delayed payments.
§ Mr. JoplingPayments under the farm capital grants schemes which were unavoidably suspended on 31 December 1983 were resumed early in February. The backlog has since been cleared and I am not aware of any continuing delay.
The delay in the payment for grain sold into intervention was introduced by the Commission so as to help contain CAP expenditure within the 1984 Community budget.
It would not be appropriate to make any reimbursements to farmers as a consequence of the factors mentioned above.