§ Dr. StrangTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the total payments made to farmers for each year encompassing existing and new entrants as a whole within each designated environmentally sensitive area and for Wales in total.
§ Mr. David HuntThe information is as follows:
My officials are writing to confirm to county and district councils in south Wales that they are entitled to claim grant at the rate of 85 per cent. on eligible expenditure above a prescribed threshold. Eligible expenditure includes emergency works to safeguard life and property, damage clearance and repairs arising from the floods and storms between 30 November and 2 December. Capital works are not eligible for grant. Emergency works under the scheme need to be completed by 1 February 1993. Initial claims should be submitted by 1 March 1993 and final audited claims by 1 June 1993.
Since 1990–91, thresholds for the Bellwin scheme have been calculated on the basis of £2.00 (1990–91) per adult on the community charge register, uprated by the annual September increase in the retail price index, and apportioned between county and district authorities according to their tier shares based on standard spending assessments. I will be placing a table showing thresholds for each local authority in the Library of the House, together with a copy of the letter to south Wales authorities referred to above.