DEFRA to miss SFP deadline -- but only just.

The article reports on the failure of the British Rural Payments Agency to pay all the single farm claims by the end of June 30, 2006 according to David Miliband, secretary of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). The DEFRA will have further discussions with the European Union Commission about the application of fines. There are still 8,500 claimants in England who are yet to receive any payment. The Forum of Private Business criticised the interest being offered by the government to those who are yet to receive payment.