Home > Publications > Selected cases — Parliamentary > Selected Cases and Summaries of Completed Investigations - October 1998 - March 1999 > C.557/97
Sixth Report Session 1998-99
Volume 2
OCTOBER 1998 - MARCH 1999
The full report of selected cases
Summary of other investigations completed
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Administrative shortcomings by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF) in deciding claims under the Arable Area Payments Scheme (AAPS)
MAFF decided on the basis of their interpretation of satellite images of one of Mr F's fields that he was ineligible for payments which he had claimed under AAPS. Mr F provided an explanation for the apparent discrepancy between his cropping records and the satellite images but MAFF refused to accept it. The Ombudsman found that MAFF had made a sustained effort to try to resolve a difficult question, but had failed to arrive at a decision which gave due weight to all the relevant evidence. The Permanent Secretary of MAFF accepted that had MAFF done more to investigate the unusual circumstances described by Mr F their judgment on the case might have changed. He agreed to authorise an ex gratia payment to Mr F equivalent to his unpaid AAPS claim, plus interest, and not to pursue recovery of those payments which had already been made.
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