CLA Slams Rural Payments Agency
25/01/06

Speaking in response to the interim report by the House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee into the Rural Payments Agency (RPA), David Fursdon, President of the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) said:

"The Select Committee has, quite rightly, raised some questions about the RPA competence and commitment to agriculture in this country.

The CLA has been shocked and disappointed at the over-confidence, bordering on arrogance, shown by the RPA in the implementation of the Single Farm Payment Scheme.

This means that not only do farmers face delayed payments or partial payments, but also disruption and confusion in many other flagship schemes such as the much heralded environmental schemes.

All this comes at a time of massive re-adjustment in the industry. If farming is to be treated as a business like any other then it should be able to plan forward with certainty as any other business needs to do. CLA members do not feel that they can do this while the RPA flounders from pillar to post."

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