Mr. J. Enoch Powellasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish a table showing the average time which elapsed in 1984 in the payment of advance export refunds on meat under 263W European Economic Community regulation 565/80 between (a) placing of the meat under customs control, (b) receipt of the claim by the intervention board and (c) issue of the payment by the board; and what steps he can take to reduce the length of these periods in respect of Northern Ireland meat exporters.
§ Mr. MacGregorThe average time taken between entry of the meat into customs control and receipt of the claim by the intervention board could not be ascertained without disproportionate cost. The average time taken from receipt to payment of the claim was four weeks. Management action has been taken by Her Majesty's Customs to clarify instructions and by the board to strengthen the staff engaged on this work.