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Single Farm Payment

Dr. McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when all payments under the single farm payment scheme will be concluded in Northern Ireland. [58137]

Angela E. Smith: European Union Regulations provide for the single farm payment to be paid between 1 December of the year of application and 30 June of the following year. The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is processing payments on eligible claims for the 2005 scheme-year in accordance with the EU legislation. In some exceptional circumstances it may be necessary to reserve payment until after June 2006 where a complex query cannot be resolved.

Temozolomide

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to make the drug temozolomide available on the NHS in Northern Ireland for the treatment of serious brain conditions. [57100]

Mr. Woodward: The drug temozolomide is currently available in Northern Ireland as a second line chemotherapy treatment for patients suffering from recurrent malignant glioma (brain cancer).

Temozolomide is not available for the treatment of newly diagnosed glioma as it has not yet been fully assessed for that indication by NICE or other relevant authorities. It is important that before drugs are made generally available for new indications they go through the full licensing and evaluation process as only then can we be assured of their safety and efficacy.

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