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5 Jun 2006 : Column 108W—continued
Tribal Yale
To provide assurance on the effectiveness of controls, continuous improvement and value for money the RPA purchasing and contract management functions are subject to regular audit and value for money assessments.
The question relates to the “cost” of contracts. As there are several interpretations of this, and to give the best clarity and comparison, I have provided expenditure figures for 2005-06.
The scope of “IT contracts” is also open for interpretation. In addition to the contracts which include “tangible” IT goods and communications I have also included detail of the expenditure under the IT consultancy contracts, as the majority of work under these contracts is for IT or IS consultancy, or is IT project/programme related.
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the backlog is of Rural Payments Agency cases for (a) single farm payments and (b) entry level scheme payments; what plans he has to reduce each backlog; and by what date the Rural Payments Agency will have cleared its backlog. [71540]
Barry Gardiner: The information is as follows:
(a) By close of business on 23 May 2006, 93,710 single payment scheme claimants had received either a full or substantial partial payment. The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) is working hard to ensure that outstanding payments are made as quickly as possible.
(b) At 12 May, 93 per cent. of environmental stewardship payments due in the first three payment rounds (February-April) had been made, leaving 654 outstanding of a potential total of 9,097. The Rural Development Service, who administer the scheme, and
RPA, who make the payments, are working hard to ensure that outstanding payments are made as quickly as possible.
The deadline for application under the single payment scheme in 2005 was 16 May. The regulatory payment window for the scheme is from 1 December- 30 June, but RPA announced in early 2005 that the most probable time frame for payments to begin being made was in February 2005. This target was met, as the first payments were issued on 20 February. Full payments were continuing to be made until 5 May, when it was announced that substantial partial payments were going to be made to a large number of farmers yet to receive a payment. These were made by 12 May with full payments and top up payments currently being made.
RPA is working hard to ensure that outstanding payments will be made as quickly as possible.
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what factors have contributed to the increases in the cost of running the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) since 2003-04; and what the original budget allocation was for the RPA at the beginning of (a) 2003-04 and (b) 2004-05. [73220]
Barry Gardiner: The original running cost budget allocations for the Rural Payments Agency were:
| £ million | |
These allocations did not include any funding for non-cash costs such as depreciation and the cost of capital, nor the Agency’s contribution to the corporate costs of its parent department, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
RPA running costs have increased as a result of additional responsibilities taken on by the Agency over the last three financial years. These include:
The merger with the British Cattle Movement Service;
Structural Funds;
National Fallen Stock Scheme;
Reform of the Common Agricultural Policy including the introduction of the Single Payment Scheme.
In each of the years since 2003-04 the original budget allocations have been supplemented by additional funding provided by DEFRA, to cover these additional responsibilities. In particular, the Agency has reduced the number of permanent staff and introduced IT systems to make efficiency savings in the longer term.
Securing the Benefits (Grant Applications)
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many grant applications for the fishing industry made under the scheme set out in Securing the Benefits have taken longer than eight weeks to process in 2006; what the average processing time has been; and how many applications were processed within the eight week target in 2005. [73797]
Mr. Bradshaw:
For the period 1 January 2006 to 19 May 2006, 55 out of 57 grant claims made under the financial instrument for fisheries guidance scheme
(96 per cent.) were processed within eight weeks. The average processing time was 19 working days including the time taken to chase additional necessary information from the claimant.
For 2005, 123 out of 136 grant claims (90 per cent.) were processed within eight weeks. The average processing time was 23 working days including the time taken to chase additional necessary information from the claimant.
Single Farm Payments
Mr. Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the impact on the Department’s targets to pay applicants for single farm payment of the rejection of entitlements which are declared invalidated. [59350]
Barry Gardiner: The rejection of Single Payment Scheme claims because they are not valid does not affect the Rural Payments Agency’s target to make 96.14 per cent. of valid SPS payments by the end of the payment window on 30 June 2006.
The deadline for the Single Payment Scheme in 2005 was 16 May. The regulatory payment window for the scheme is from 1 December to 30 June, but the Rural payments Agency announced in early 2005 that the most probable time frame for payments to begin being made was in February 2005. This target was met, as the first payments were issued on 20 February. Full payments were continuing to be made until 5 May, when it was announced that substantial partial payments were going to be made to a large number of farmers yet to receive a payment. These were made by 12 May with full payments and top-up payments currently being made.
The Rural Payments Agency is working hard to ensure that outstanding payments will be made as quickly as possible.
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will take steps to ensure that all validated single payment scheme (SPS) entitlement statements are issued by the end of March; and how many farmers in Devon have received (a) validated and (b) unvalidated SPS statements. [59660]
Barry Gardiner: 120,367 applications were received for the Single Payment Scheme (SPS). By the end of Monday 22 May, 93,710 claimants have received a full or partial payment. This represents 78 per cent. of the customer base now having received a total of £1.322 billion. This equates to 88 per cent. of the £1.5 billion fund.
The remaining payments will be made as soon as legally possible following the positive action set out in my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's written statement on 16 March 2006, Official Report, column 104WS, the response to the hon. Member for South-
East Cambridgeshire on 27 March 2006, Official Report, column 543, and the written statement on 19 April 2006, Official Report, column 13WS.
The Rural Payments Agency does not have data available on a regional basis, as the scheme is not administered in this way.
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many and what percentage of 2005 Single Farm Payment Scheme claims he expects to be paid by 30 June 2006; what the value of each such payment will be; and whether those claims unpaid by that date will be (a) subject to EU reimbursement and (b) met from public funds. [66171]
Barry Gardiner: The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) is working hard to ensure that outstanding payments will be made as quickly as possible. By 16 May some £1.3 billion had been paid, representing 87 per cent. of the total projected expenditure. The value of each payment will depend on the size of the claim and the proportion that is determined as eligible.
Any 2005 scheme claims unpaid by the end of June 2006 will be subject to a sliding scale of EU reimbursement. The reduction in the rate of reimbursement will not apply to the first 4 per cent. of the expenditure and any subsidy paid after 15 October 2006 will not be reimbursed.
My officials have approached the European Commission to request an extension to the 2005 SPS payment window, although as yet, no response has been received.
The deadline for the Single Payment Scheme in 2005 was 16 May. The regulatory payment window for the scheme is from 1 December to 30 June, but RPA announced in early 2005 that the most probable time frame for payments to begin being made was in February 2006. This target was met, as the first payments were issued on 20 February. Full payments were continuing to be made until 5 May, when it was announced that substantial partial payments were going to be made to a large number of farmers yet to receive a payment. These were made by 12 May with full payments and top-up payments currently being made.
RPA is working hard to ensure that outstanding payments will be made as quickly as possible.
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many and what percentage of eligible claimants for the Single Payment Scheme (SPS) had lodged their SPS claim forms by 15 May 2006; if he will estimate how much and what percentage of total SPS monies for 2006 these claims represent; and if he will make a statement. [72834]
Barry Gardiner: 52,204 Single Payment Scheme applications were received on or before 15 May 2006.
The Rural Payments Agency is not able to determine how many of these forms are valid until they have been through level 1 validation checks to ensure that basic information is present on the form.
Until these forms are entered into the computer system the RPA is unable to establish the value of the eligible claims.
118,236 Single Payment Scheme application forms have been sent to potential claimants plus an additional 1,500 application forms requested by potentially new applicants to the 2006 scheme.
A copy of the 2006 application form is also available for customers to download and complete from the RPA website. Customers can also collect blank application forms from RPA offices and drop-in centres located around the country.
As announced on 5 May, applications to the 2006 SPS received between 16-31 May will not attract late claim penalties.
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will make a statement on the progress of the delivery of single farm payments to farmers. [74173]
Barry Gardiner: By close of business on 23 May 2006, 93,710 single payment scheme claimants had received either a full or substantial partial payment. The Rural Payments Agency is working hard to ensure that outstanding payments are made as quickly as possible.
United Nations Fish Stocks Agreement Meeting
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what issues he plans to raise at the United Nations Fish Stocks Agreement meeting in New York on 22 to 26 May. [73395]
Mr. Bradshaw: The UK played an active role in the preparation of the EU position for this meeting and at the meeting itself. This included looking at the 15 elements chosen for assessing the adequacy and effectiveness of the UN Fish Stock Agreement, and suggesting means of strengthening the substance and methods of the Agreement’s implementation.
In addition, the UK hosted a State meeting at the conference to profile the report of the High Seas Task Force into Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, and presented the UK's action plan for taking forward the report 's recommendations. The event was well attended by representatives of State, NGOs and other interested bodies.
Venezuelan Discounted Oil (Environmental Impact)
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the potential environmental impact of the supply of discounted oil to London by Venezuela; and if he will make a statement. [73599]
Ian Pearson: We are not aware of any firm commitment by the Government of Venezuela to supply oil or oil products at discounted rates to the UK. In the absence of this and any specific details I am unable to speculate on the potential environmental implications of this proposal.
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive
Mr. Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what funding (a) his Department and (b) the Environment Agency has (i) allocated to and (ii) spent on supporting charitable organisations in preparation for the implementation of the waste electrical and electronic equipment directive. [73776]
Mr. Bradshaw: Defra has not allocated or provided funding to charities specifically in preparation for the implementation of the waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) directive.
In April 2005, Defra awarded a total of £3 million to 36 community groups working with waste in England, under the Waste Partnership Fund (WPF). A number of the community projects that are being taken forward will support the reuse and recycling of waste electrical and electronic equipment.
The Environment Agency (EA) has provided some support to charitable refurbishers at a local level. Nationally, support has been given through work with Envirowise on their national programme of WEEE seminars. The EA has agreed an interim position on WEEE permitting which has saved many small-scale WEEE refurbishers the cost of obtaining a waste management licence in the period before new licensing exemptions are available.
Water
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will introduce legislation to allow householders to reverse a decision to accommodate a water meter once installed; and if he will make a statement. [73325]
Ian Pearson: Water customers have, since 2000, had some choice in how their charges are calculated and customers who would benefit from a metered charge can request a meter to be installed free-of-charge. Customers also have the corresponding right to revert back to an unmeasured charge within a year if they feel that it does not best suit their needs.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs at what level of available water supply a water company may apply to take remedial action to avoid water shortages. [73826]
Ian Pearson: All water companies have drought plans setting out how the company will continue to meet its duty to maintain an adequate supply of water during a short-term water shortage. These plans are now a statutory requirement. The plans contain various triggers to initiate a range of actions at differing stages depending on the severity of a drought. One of the actions may involve applying to my Department for drought orders to restrict non-essential uses of water.
Mr. Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures he is taking to ensure that residents of Tendring do not run out of water. [74126]
Ian Pearson: Water companies' plans for meeting demand were set out in their 25-year water resources plans, prepared in 2004. The Environment Agency reported on those plans in “Maintaining Water Supply”, which is available from its website at:
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