HC Deb 26 June 1996 vol 280 cc168-9W
Ms Hodge

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on how many occasions in each Session since 1991–92, legislation has been introduced into Parliament by his Department, with the purpose of (a) removing the effects of a judicial review decision or (b) implementing a judicial review decision; and if he will list the relevant legislative provisions. [33581]

Mr. Boswell

[holding answer 19 June 1996]: There have been no instances in the period since the 1991–92 Session of this Department introducing legislation with the purpose of removing the effects of a judicial review decision.

There has been no instance of the introduction of legislation in order to implement a judicial review decision. This stemmed from the judgment of the High Court of 22 June 1995 in proceedings brought by the National Farmers Union which declared unlawful the criteria used to determine eligibility for quota for producers who, at the time of the introduction of livestock quotas, had an investment programme to expand livestock numbers. The criteria in question appeared in the Sheep Annual Premium and Suckler Cow Premium Quotas Regulations 1993, S.I. 1626, amended by S.I. 1993/3036 and 1994/2894, regulation 13A(15) and schedule 2, part V. The Sheep Annual Premium and Suckler Cow Premium Quotas (Re-assessment of Eligibility) Regulations 1996, S.I. No. 48, implement the judgment by providing for revised criteria and for the re-assessment of the eligibility of these producers.

Ms Hodge

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many decisions by his Department were challenged by way of judicial review in each Session since 1991–92; and if he will list in how many cases(a) the Department's decision was upheld by the court, (b) the court found for the applicant, (c) the

Expenditure under the farm and conservation grant scheme
£ million
RSC 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96
Carlisle 930,712.42 3,416,402.65 5,153,773.52 5,808,194.55 5,225,671.53 3,584,591.38 1,117,503.12
Northallerton 729,074.65 2,436,188.82 3,089,841.60 3,472,513.95 3,441,871.56 2,420,960.29 707,016.71
Nottingham 309,858.18 1,252,212.67 2,312,156.01 2,623,115.86 2,245,973.29 2,028,193.54 362,502.62
Crewe 1,381,944.28 4,724,433.39 4,485,964.49 3,539,527.75 3,490,007.55 2,355,242.39 539,425.15
Worcester 294,446.63 1,132,565.32 1,595,510.41 1,790,880.27 1,870,610.96 1,599,068.10 567,512.07
Cambridge 111,553.45 1,169,139.03 1,773,753.49 1,114,898.57 2,122,048.08 1,473,366.89 248,465.90
Exeter 1,171,665.66 3,450,144.86 4,688,883.51 4,707,142.13 4,415,658.10 2,915,124.83 1,059,472.23
Bristol 735,502.15 3,604,221.61 4,030,773.69 2,773,918.95 3,244,641.75 2,581,489.12 504,487.32
Reading 1,098,557.10 5,546,704.59 8,682,085.83 7,872,902.63 8,457,562.66 2,099,720.70 518,573.88
Total 6,763,314.52 26,732,012.94 35,812,742.55 33,703,094.66 29,288,373.95 21,057,757.24 5,624,959.36
1 Records for this financial year have yet to be compeleted.