Question
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will list the deadlines for all payments to be made by his Department where annual claims are required; and if he will give the timescale for payment after receipt of claim for all other schemes.
Answer
Mr. Paice: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the deadlines for all payments to be made by his Department where annual claims are required; and if he will give the timescale for payment after receipt of claim for all other schemes. [41608] Mr. Rooker: The statutory payment deadlines for schemes administered by the Department, which require annual claims to be made, are as set out. (These do not include scheme payments by the Intervention Board). Arable Area Payments Scheme for cereals, linseed, proteins and set-aside (other than set-aside used for the production of non-food crops): by 31 December of the year of harvest. Payments on oilseeds are made in two instalments; an advance payment by 30 September of the year of harvest followed by a final payment within 60 days of the date of publication of the Regulation fixing the final regional reference amounts in the Official Journal of the European Communities (generally in February or March of the year following harvest). For set-aside land on which non-food crops are grown, the final date for payment is 31 March in the year following harvest. Grain Legumes Scheme: 60 days after the date of publication of the final amount of aid, which generally takes place during December of the marketing year in question. Suckler Cow Premium Scheme and the Beef Special Premium Scheme: except in duly justified exceptional circumstances, by 30 June of the year following the calendar year in respect of which the premium is applied for. Sheep Annual Premium Scheme: by 15 October following the end of the marketing year in respect of which the premium has been granted. Agri-environment Schemes: no later than 4 months after the end of the period to which the payment relates. In England, the schemes covered by this provision are: Countryside Stewardship, Environmentally Sensitive Areas, Nitrate Sensitive Areas, the Organic Aid Scheme, the Habitat Scheme, the Countryside Access Scheme and the Moorland Scheme. Payment periods vary both within and between these schemes. Apple and Pear Orchard Grubbing Up Grant Scheme 1998: not later than 4 months after the land has been inspected by MAFF officials to establish that grubbing up of the trees has taken place. There are two schemes operated by the Ministry for which statutory payment deadlines apply but for which there is no requirement for annual claims. These are, firstly, the Farm Woodland Premium Scheme, for which the first annual payment is made during the twelve months following the payment of the first instalment of grant under the Forestry Commission's Woodland Grant Scheme, and for which subsequent annual payments are made on 16 October in each year or on such other date as my right hon. Friend may decide; and, secondly, the Farm Woodland Scheme, for which annual payments are made on 1 October in each year or on such other date as my right hon. Friend may decide. The Department also administers a number of other schemes for which statutory payment deadlines have not been laid down.