§ Dr. StrangTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the total paid to farmers in(a) arable aid scheme set-aside payments and (b) total arable area scheme payments in England following the 1993–94 harvest; and how many farmers in England have received arable area payments of £1 million or more.
§ Mrs. Gillian ShephardTotal payments to date in England under the arable area payments scheme amount to £625 million, including set-aside payments of just under £125 million. These figures do not include final oilseeds payments, which are being made now. Since some applicants receive payments made up of a number of separate elements, the precise number who have received total payments of £1 million or more can currently only be provided at disproportionate cost.