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2 July 2007 : Column 41WS

2 July 2007 : Column 41WS

Written Ministerial Statements

Monday 2 July 2007

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Single Farm Payment

The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Hilary Benn): My predecessors have kept the House informed of progress with the Single Payment Scheme (SPS). I intend to do likewise.

As at 30 June, the end of the regulatory payment window for the 2006 scheme, a total of £1.49 billion, representing some 98 per cent. of the estimated total fund had been paid in either full or partial payments to 107,088 (98.2 per cent.) claimants. About 2,900 claimants have received a partial payment and await the balancing sum. Work has also to be completed in respect of a further 2,000 claims, mainly small ones and those affected by legal issues such as probate. In these cases either no payment has been made to date or it has yet to be confirmed that any payment is due. Interest will be paid to claimants on sums paid after 30 June on the same basis as for the 2005 scheme.

Given the difficulties experienced with the implementation of the scheme in 2005, the plan that my right hon. Friend, the then Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs set out in his statement of 7 November 2006, Official Report, column 715 for 2006 SPS payments was a challenging one for the Rural Payments Agency (RPA.) I am able to report that the agency has succeeded in both making the majority of payments earlier than last year, so boosting farmers’ cash-flow, and meeting its formal target of making 96.14 per cent. of payments by 30 June. I am grateful to RPA staff who have worked long and hard to make this happen.

There need to be further improvements in the RPA’s performance, however, before it can be said that it is again providing an acceptable level of service. The next step in achieving this will be to complete work on some 20,000 2005 cases where entitlement values have been identified for review and possible adjustment, upwards or downwards, to 2005 and 2006 payments. RPA resources are now being switched to this work.

Meanwhile, the RPA has already begun processing the 106,000 or so claims that have been submitted under the 2007 SPS. The agency’s targets for 2007-08 that were set out in the statement of my hon. Friend the Member for Brent, North, (Barry Gardiner), 26 June 2007, Official Report, column 20WS include one for 2007 SPS payments that represents a greater degree of challenge for the agency in the coming year while also reflecting the fact that it is still in a recovery period. Against this background, I would like to add my thanks to the farming industry for its continuing patience and support.


2 July 2007 : Column 42WS

Innovation, Universities and Skills

Higher Education (Loans, Grants and Fees)

The Minister for Higher Education and Lifelong Learning (Bill Rammell): The level of support for loans, grants and fees that will be available to eligible higher education students in the 2008-09 academic year will be 2.5 per cent. higher than for 2007-08, in line with forecast price increases.

For students who have entered higher education in or after 1 September 2006 and are being charged variable fees, the maximum fee payable will increase from £3,070 to £3,145 in 2008-09. The increase to the fee will be matched by a corresponding increase to the loan for fees that students can take out.

For students who are not being charged variable fees (primarily students who entered higher education before 1 September 2006), the maximum fee payable will increase from £1,225 to £1,255.

The increased fee amounts will be authorised by the Student Fees (Amounts)(England) (Amendment) Regulations 2007, which will come into force on 1 September 2008.

I am placing a memorandum in the Library giving details of the increased loan, grant and fee rates for 2008-09. The maximum amount of the Disabled Students Allowances (DSAs) for non-medical helpers will increase in 2008-09 to £20,000 for full-time undergraduate students and to £15,000 for part-time undergraduate students; the maximum amount of the DSA for postgraduate students will increase to £10,000. All these rates are being incorporated into the Education (Student Support) (No. 2) Regulations 2007, which will be laid before Parliament in due course.

Justice

Boundary Commission (Interim Review)

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Bridget Prentice): My right hon. and noble Friend, the then Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, Lord Falconer of Thoroton, has received notice in writing from the Boundary Commission for England of commencement of an Interim review. The review will be of the boundaries of the parliamentary constituencies of:

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