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Farmers still wait for subsidies | Farmers still wait for subsidies |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Nearly 500 farmers in England are waiting for last year's European Union subsidies, almost six months after the official deadline, the government said. | Nearly 500 farmers in England are waiting for last year's European Union subsidies, almost six months after the official deadline, the government said. |
The Environment Minister, Lord Rooker, told the Lords a further 1,254 had received only an 80% part-payment. | The Environment Minister, Lord Rooker, told the Lords a further 1,254 had received only an 80% part-payment. |
He told peers: "Once again, on behalf of the government, I apologise for the delays in making these payments." | He told peers: "Once again, on behalf of the government, I apologise for the delays in making these payments." |
The National Union of Farmers blamed "the complete incompetence of Defra and its agencies" for the delays. | |
The NFU's Anthony Gibson also said: "It's quite disgraceful when you consider most farmers in the rest of Europe have had their second payment." | |
Lord Rooker said 480 farmers were still waiting for payments from the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) on 14 December, which compared with 911 cases eight days earlier. | Lord Rooker said 480 farmers were still waiting for payments from the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) on 14 December, which compared with 911 cases eight days earlier. |
He said the 1,254 waiting for a "top-up" were about half the previous week's total. | He said the 1,254 waiting for a "top-up" were about half the previous week's total. |
The RPA, a government agency, allocates about £1.5bn under the EU's single farm payment scheme. | The RPA, a government agency, allocates about £1.5bn under the EU's single farm payment scheme. |
The system calculates a single annual subsidy for each farmer for looking after their land, rather than a series of payments for producing food. | The system calculates a single annual subsidy for each farmer for looking after their land, rather than a series of payments for producing food. |
Many farmers claim the long delays in pay-outs have driven them to despair and even bankruptcy. |