To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many appeals have been lodged under the single payment scheme appeal procedure since its inception; and how many appeals have been upheld.

The Single Payment Scheme Appeal Procedure has two stages. Stage 1 is an internal review of the case by the Rural Payments Agency. If customers are dissatisfied with the outcome they can take the case to Stage 2 where an Independent Appeal Panel reviews the case and makes a recommendation to Ministers. Ministers take the final decision to uphold or reject the appeal.

At 13 May 2008 901 Stage 1 appeals had been considered of which 318 were successful or partially successful. At Stage 2 the Minister had made his decision on 156 appeals of which 12 were successful.