Question
Whether the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs wrote to the European Union Agriculture Commissioner on 12 April asking for an extension from the end of June to mid-October as the deadline for the payment of the single farm payment; and, if so, why this was not relayed to Parliament in the Secretary of State’s Statement of 19 April (Official Report, House of Commons, 13WS).
Answer
While the intention has been, and remains, for the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) to make outstanding payments under the 2005 single payment scheme as soon as possible, it has always been the case that some payments may be made after the end of the EU payment window on 30 June. In those cases, the claimant will still be paid in full, but EU funding of those payments could be reduced. With that in mind, and to safeguard the interests of UK taxpayers, a request was made to the European Commission at official level on 12 April to extend the payment window. It was evidently felt that this precautionary measure did not warrant mentioning alongside the key announcement for the industry that my right honourable friend the Member for Derby South had authorised the RPA to make partial payments, which resulted in over £730 million reaching farmers in the week beginning 9 May.