Rural Payments Agency

The hon. Gentleman is right to observe that Members were saying that the scheme was going badly wrong. Members were saying that payments would not begin on 20 February. They were saying that entitlement notices would not be sent out. [Interruption.] I am not sure whether those who are groaning attend agriculture questions very often. Let me simply say to the hon. Gentleman that undoubtedly there were real concerns and anxieties, and that those were reflected at ministerial level. That is why the Minister in particular, and my officials, spent so much time working with the RPA. The fact is, however, that payments did begin when they were intended to, and notices did begin to go out when they were intended to. What did not happen was the dramatic ramping up of the speed of payments that was expected to follow. As late as 10 March, the RPA was still insisting to Ministers that more than 51 per cent. of payments would be made by the end of March, and 96 per cent. would be made by the end of June. The issue of compensation has been raised before. I have already told the House that the payments window closes in June 2005—[Hon. Members: ““2006.””] I am sorry, I meant 2006. Farmers are probably even more aware of that than Members. They know perfectly well that payments are made throughout the window; that is why the question of interest does not arise.