§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Wales what has been the average time taken by the Agriculture Department of the Welsh Office to pay out hill livestock compensatory allowances to farmers in less favoured areas in Wales, during the last four quarters; how this compares with corresponding quarters of the previous year; and if he will make a statement on complaints of delay in payment which have been made to him.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsHill livestock compensatory allowances have a common qualifying date of 1 January. Claims arrive at divisional offices in large numbers from that date. Records are not kept of the average time taken to pay individual claims but priority is always given to 43W processing them for payment as soon as possible. The number of claims paid in the last four quarters compared with the previous four quarters was as follows:
Number of claims paid Amount paid £ April to June 1984 1,678 3,547,272 April to June 1983 2,005 3,891,153 July to September 1984 133 157,485 July to September 1983 118 153,656 October to December 1984 53 44,267 October to December 1983 50 46,881 January to March 1985 8,320 18,332,900 January to March 1984 8,878 20,202,451 This year, following the recent EC redefinition of the United Kingdom's less favoured areas, the number of farmers eligible to receive these allowances has increased and most of those who have not yet been paid are the first-time claimants in the new outer area. For these, eligibility has first to be determined and farmers concerned have been invited to supply details of their holdings for this purpose.
At a time when the divisional office staff have been under unprecedented pressure, the rate of throughput of claims which they have achieved is very creditable. At the same time I am aware of farmers' anxiety to receive their payments and divisional offices will do all they can to minimise delays on the remainder.