You are here: Parliament home page > Parliamentary business > Publications and Records > Hansard > Commons Debates > Commons Debates by date > Commons Debates - previous sessions > Bound Volume Hansard - Written Answers
Previous Section Index Home Page

18 Mar 2004 : Column 440W—continued

Rural Payments Agency

Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 3 March 2004, Official Report, columns 941–42W, on Rural Payments Agency, if she will publish the official communication sent to farmers regarding initialled alterations; and how and when IACS applicants were advised that amendments must be crossed through. [160919]

Alun Michael: Prior to 2004, the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) advised applicants that alterations must be initialled and dated by them and that they must not use correcting fluid. This has been included in the information at the top of the Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS) base form which is sent annually to all farmers claiming aid under IACS. Other RPA schemes have a similar policy.

For the 2004 scheme year these forms have asked applicants to sign rather than initial any changes. To reinforce this the accompanying supplement which updates the 2003 booklet has an entry under the heading "Points Relating To General Guidance For Completing The IACS Area Aid Application" as follows:



The forms and the supplement are currently being mailed to all registered IACS applicants with completion expected by the end of March. All applicants should receive them by 8 April.

In order to safeguard the applicant in that no changes are made to their application without their knowledge, and in order to demonstrate that the information is complete/accurate and clearly shows precisely what information was intended for the application, RPA has instigated procedures to support their obligations to ensure that the correct aid is paid to the correct person.

Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 3 March 2004, Official Report, columns 941–42W, on the Rural Payments Agency, when she received the legal advice on alterations to claims; what steps she took to communicate it to applicants; and whether the legal advice reflected (a) decisions of or (b) guidance from the European institutions. [160920]

Alun Michael: The legal advice which formulated these procedures was not based on specific decisions or guidance from the European Institutions but by forming a practice enabling the correct aid to be paid with a defined audit trail linking the information provided to the aid paid and safeguarding the interests of the applicant and the Rural Payments Agency.

18 Mar 2004 : Column 441W

This advice will be communicated to applicants on the IACS base forms for the 2004 scheme year. Applicants will be asked to sign rather than initial any changes and to reinforce this the accompanying supplement which updates the 2003 booklet has an entry under the heading "Points Relating To General Guidance For Completing The IACS Area Aid Application" as follows:



The forms and the supplement are currently being mailed to all registered IACS applicants with completion expected by the end of March, all applicants should receive them by 8 April.

Sheep Tagging

Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has for introducing electronic tagging of sheep; and if she will make a statement. [161548]

Mr. Bradshaw: Electronic identification of sheep becomes compulsory under EU law from 1 January 2008 and is currently being used as a component of the National Scrapie Plan. We are anticipating the widespread use of this technology and have recently launched a pilot project on a minimum of 50 commercial sheep farms to assess how industry can make best use of electronic identification and to identify any issues that may arise.

Single Farm Payments

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had and what advice she has received from (a) farmers' organisations, (b) landowners' organisations and (c) tenant farmers' organisations since her statement to the House of 12 February 2004, Official Report, columns 1585–1602, in respect of the future of farm support payments. [157122]

Alun Michael: Since the statement, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, has addressed the National Farmers Union AGM and my noble Friend the Lord Whitty, has met with the Chairman of the Tenant Farmers Association. In addition we have received a number letters from farmers and landowners' organisations. Inevitably some anxieties have been expressed about the impact of the decision in certain sectors and areas. However, many of the comments show an appreciation that we took that decision in the long-term interests of the industry and demonstrate a willingness to move forward and work with the Department on the detail of implementation.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

Digital Television

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Coventry, South (Mr. Cunningham) of

18 Mar 2004 : Column 442W

2 March 2004, Official Report, column 825W, when she expects the review of legal constraints on digital television signals to be completed. [161919]

Estelle Morris: The Digital Action Plan identified a need to review planning rules ahead of any decisions about the timing of digital switchover. My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister published a consultation paper in April 2003 setting out proposals for possible changes to the planning rules governing the installation of satellite dishes and other antenna. ODPM are considering the responses and will announce whether any changes are necessary in good time before switchover happens. The Northern Ireland Office and Welsh Assembly Government have consulted separately and will announce any changes in due course. The Scottish Executive is planning to consult shortly on possible changes to Scottish planning rules.

Equal Opportunities

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport in what ways her Department is carrying forward the Government's commitment to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, with particular reference to equal opportunities to recreation and leisure. [161481]

Estelle Morris [holding answer 17 March 2004]: One of my Department's key strategic priorities is to enhance access to a fuller cultural and sporting life for children and young people and to give them the opportunity to develop their talents to the full. In support of this priority we have set several targets:





We also work with other Government Departments and bodies, such as the National Lottery Distributors to promote access and participation to sport and recreation.

Fair Share Initiative

Mr. Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what budget (a) was set for 2003–04 and (b) has been allocated for 2004–05 and 2005–06 by each Government Department for the Fair Share initiative, broken down by English region. [161650]

Estelle Morris: Fair share is an innovative joint New Opportunities Fund (NOF)/Community Fund initiative. The initiative began in April 2002, and targets 77 disadvantaged areas across the UK, which for a variety of reasons, have not had their 'fair share' of Lottery funding.

18 Mar 2004 : Column 443W

To date, approximately £58 million of the £180 million for the overall initiative has been distributed, 32 per cent. of the total allocated for the programme.

Money is not allocated to particular financial years. NOF have provided a breakdown of what has been committed in each local authority area (and hence region) and I have arranged for copies of the document to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Next Section Index Home Page