Rural Payments Agency

My Lords, I shall respond to the noble Countess in a moment. Earlier I referred to Friday 21 March, but of course it was Friday 24 March. Let me just say that Mr McNeil has been removed from office because we needed to strengthen the leadership at the RPA. No decisions have yet been taken on his future duties. Also, so far as I know, he is in receipt of his salary at present. However, I do not think that I want to say anything further on that because he is entitled to some rights, as are the farmers who are suffering today. I accept what the noble Countess has said about the particular difficulties caused by this situation for hill farmers currently involved in lambing.