Rural Payments Agency

My Lords, I am grateful for the statement that that is what the Minister now hopes to see, because we have not had that in the various exchanges in the other House and here until now. It will certainly be an encouragement to the industry. On the agency, the Minister has made a brave speech. I understand entirely that he has been put in a very difficult position. Somebody else chose this system. He was then given the task, late in the day, of seeking to see it carried through. However, his Government set up the agency. When the agency was set up—it was discussed in another place yesterday—the Minister was Elliot Morley. He was specifically asked who was accountable. He said that the chief executive had the initial responsibility, but that the ultimate responsibility and accountability lay with Ministers. That was at the time when this Government—to which the Minister belongs—set up the agency. We have just heard the Minister announce a number of perfectly sensible improvements, which he hopes will speed up the process. What this is all about and what I do not understand—what so many people up and down the country do not understand—is how it is possible that, two weeks before the date on which most of the payments should be made, somebody decides that it will be another 14 weeks before that can be done. I cannot understand how questions were not asked, and how there was not some examination. The charge for the Minister is: why were those questions not asked? How could that happen? We have discussed this matter fully. It is a tragic situation and, like the whole House, I hope and I pray that the damage will not be as great as many fear that it might be. I beg leave to withdraw the Motion for Papers. Motion for Papers, by leave, withdrawn.