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WILLIAMS CHALLENGES DEFRA OVER RPA FAILURES

March 25, 2010 3:39 PM

Roger Williams, MP for Brecon and Radnorshire and Liberal Democrat Food and Rural Affairs Spokesperson, used today's Environment Food and Rural Affairs to challenge the Department for the Environment Food and Rural Affairs over the failure of the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) that led to a £15.9m fine from the EC.

Speaking after the question session, Roger Williams said:

"The failures of the RPA to meet its targets are causing problems for English farmers in an already difficult economic environment.

"The Government's failure to issue payments promptly in 2005 pushed many farmers to the brink and this latest chaotic handling of the Rural Payments Agency has now cost the British taxpayer £90m in fines to the EU.

"Government departments are being asked to show efficiency savings, yet the RPA clearly hasn't succeeded in this.

"DEFRA have thrown money at the problem in the form of IT but maybe they should ensure that other resources are available and suitable management structures are put in place to ensure that this situation does not arise again.

"In his response the Minister said that work was being done to ensure a smoother process in dealing with applications. While this is to be welcomed, it will not remove the difficulties that many farmers are experiencing in receiving Single Farm Payments.

"Nor will it remove the sour taste in the mouth that many farmers will have, as will many other British citizens, that £15.9m of taxpayers' money has been lost to the EC when it could be put to much better use amongst our own farming community."

NOTES:

The UK was initially fined £75m in 2008 for failing to get farmers' single farm payments out on time http://www.fwi.co.uk/Articles/2008/12/12/113471/UK-government-fined-16375m-for-late-farm-payments.htm

A second fine of £15.9m was imposed in March 2010: http://www.farmersguardian.com/home/business/business-news/uk-fined-%C2%A3159m-for-cap-failures/30929.article

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