Rural Payments Agency

It was graceful of the Under-Secretary, my hon. Friend the Member for South Dorset (Jim Knight) to say what he did to the hon. Lady—outside this Chamber, no doubt—but knowing her as I do, I am sure that she is not implying any wrongdoing on his part. - I am pleased to see that the hon. Lady is not. Obviously Ministers must give correct information to the House, but they can do so only if the information that they have is correct. When my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary spoke to the House, at that stage he had no cause to think that what he was saying was in any way incorrect. There is perhaps a slight misunderstanding about the position in Scotland and Wales. Obviously I do not have responsibility for payments there, but I think that the hon. Lady will find that not all payments have been made in full, although they are doubtless proceeding. I entirely take her point about tenant farmers, and I am mindful that they are likely to be the most vulnerable people. I can assure her that if there were a way to single them out, I would look for it; however, the best thing to do is to try to get everybody’s payments out as fast as possible.