The position is that, since 1 January 2000, over £708 million has been paid to farmers under the various headage and premium schemes, of which in excess of £402 million relates to payments under the 2000 schemes. The payment targets set out in the protocol on direct payments to farmers are quite specific with regard to the premium schemes and payments under these schemes commenced on the specified dates. For example, 60% advance payments under the 2000 suckler cow premium, the 2000 special beef premium and the new slaughter premium schemes were due to commence on 16 October 2000 and 186,000 payments valued at over £104 million issued to farmers under these schemes, including the national envelope, on that date. The present position is that 93% of January to August 2000 special beef premium applicants have been paid some £65 million. With regard to the 2000 suckler cow premium scheme, over 86% of all applicants have been paid almost £80 million. To date, 84% of new slaughter premium applicants have been paid some £12 million and an additional £2.3 million has been paid to those applicants who qualified under the national envelope.
With regard to the ewe premium scheme, the protocol specifies that payment of each instalment will commence within seven days of publication of the regulation setting out the rate of payment and all eligible applicants will be paid within two weeks. Payment of the first instalment commenced on 23 June 2000 following publication of the relevant EU regulation on 20 June 2000 and 94% of all applicants were paid within two weeks. Payment of the second instalment commenced on 23 October 2000 – the earliest possible date under EU regulations – and on that day 97% of all applicants were paid almost £18 million.