Vol. 395 No. 3
108 Mr. Hilliard asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will outline the system for approving payment applications under the cow suckler, calf subsidy and beef premium schemes; the average length of time between approval and payment dates; if any payments have been made to date in 1990; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Applications under the three schemes mentioned are received in my Department's local offices, registered, filed and passed across the field staff for inspection. After inspection, the files are returned to the administrative staff in the local offices for checking, approval of payment and transmission to the Computer Division of my Department for payment.
Normally the length of time between approval and payment dates should not exceed a month.
Some 10,000 applicants have been paid £1.1 million under the 1989 calf premium scheme and some 10,500 applicants have been paid £3.3 million under the 1989 special beef premium scheme in 1990. No payments have been made under the suckler cow premium scheme in 1990 so far but some 3,500 applicants were paid £1.57 million under this scheme in 1989. The remaining payments under these schemes will be made as soon as possible.
