Milk Quota (Hansard, 15 February 1995)

§ Mr. Ainger
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many representations he has received concerning delays in transferring milk quota by the Intervention Board.

§ Mr. Jack
The Ministry received 57 representations concerning the delays in processing milk quota transactions by the Intervention Board following the transfer of responsibility for administering the milk quota system to the board on 1 April 1994. These delays were due in part to technical problems with the Intervention Board's new computer system, but the principal cause was the delay on the part of the milk marketing boards in providing essential information. These problems have now been overcome and the processing of quota transactions is proceeding satisfactorily.

§ Mr. Ainger
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many transfer applications the Intervention Board had for(a) the sale and (b) the leasing of milk quota in England and in Wales.

§ Mr. Jack
As milk quotas can be transferred throughout the United Kingdom, separate figures are not available for England and Wales. For the whole of the UK the Intervention Board had received 24,404 applications for the lease of milk quotas by the end of the leasing period on 31 December 1994, and 5,762 applications for the permanent transfer of milk quotas by 13 February 1995.

§ Mr. Ainger
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the total litreage of milk quota transferred by the Intervention Board(a) by sale and (b) for leasing to date.

§ Mr. Jack
The total litreage of milk quota processed by the Intervention Board at 13 February 1995 was 341,000,000 litres by permanent transfer and 1,339,000,000 litres by lease.

§ Mr. Ainger
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the average time spent by the Intervention Board in processing applications for transfer of milk quota by(a) sale and (b) leasing in England and in Wales.

§ Mr. Jack
After initial processing delays when milk quota records were being transferred from the milk marketing boards and subsequently amended following vesting day changes on 1 November 1994 in England, Wales and Scotland, the Intervention Board is now processing the majority of milk quota leases and transfers within 15 days of receipt of acceptable applications.