Single Payment scheme to commence today ‘Welcome News for farmers’
North Cornwall MP Dan Rogerson has welcomed the news that the Rural Payments Agency will today begin payments under the 2010 Single Payments Scheme. Payments totalling over £1 billion are to be made over the next few days to around 800,000 claimants.
In a statement by the Agriculture Minister Jim Paice MP today, he outlined the RPA’s targets to pay 85% of eligible SPS claimants by the end of December 2010 and to pay 95% of the value of SPS payments by the end of March 2011.
Mr Rogerson, who also sits on the Environment Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee, said:
“After years of systemic failure by the Rural Payments Agency to resolve this situation, I am pleased that this Government have moved quickly and have begun the complicated process of getting this years’ much needed payment to farmers.
“In my constituency and in constituencies all over the country, famer’s livelihoods have been put in jeopardy by the RPA’s shambolic handling of the Single Payments Scheme in previous years. It will come as a tremendous relief that this situation is now starting to be resolved.
Notes:
1. Link to the full statement on the Defra website: http://ww2.defra.gov.uk/news/2010/12/01/single-payments-101201/
