HC Deb 10 December 2001 vol 376 cc682-3W
Mrs. Ann Winterton

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the impact on(a) farm cash flow and (b) farmers' livelihoods of delays in the (i) despatch and (ii) processing of (A) livestock and (B) ESA scheme claim forms and payments from the Rural Payments Agency in Worcester; and if she will make a statement. [20022]

Mr. Morley

The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) office at Worcester closed as a processing centre at the end of October but remains open as a drop-in centre for the receipt of forms. RPA work previously undertaken at Worcester is now undertaken by other RPA offices. Agri-environment schemes are dealt with by the Rural Development Service.

Payments of livestock claims by RPA are expected to be made within the stipulated time frames. However the impact of FMD, the need to develop computer software upgrades incorporating changes to the payment arrangements and the need to conduct FMD cross checks to establish entitlement to payment mean that rather more claims than normal will be paid towards the end of the period.

For some ESA cases there has been a delay in despatching claim forms because of queries that need resolution. However the majority of claim forms were sent out in September. This is about one month later than normal and was due to the restructuring of ex MAFF regions. Payments are however expected to be made within the two month Citizen Charter target. Farmers' cash flows and livelihoods should not therefore be significantly affected.