Defra ‘considered new payment system’

DEFRA considered scrapping the whole payment system used by the Rural Payments Agency last year to try to resolve the worsening farm payments crisis.

Speaking in London on Tuesday, Food and Farming Minister Lord Rooker admitted that when Defra Secretary David Miliband first came into office in May 2006, he thought about bringing in a new payment system.

“We did consider ripping up the RPA system and starting again,” said Lord Rooker.

Liberal Democrats Rural Affairs Minister Roger Williams said it showed the depth of the crisis created by former Defra Secretary Margaret Beckett. “Her successor David Miliband still has his work cut out, not least resolving disputed 2005 payments and ensuring full 2006 payments are made without delay,” he said.

A Defra spokesman said Ministers had considered all options to get SPS 2005 payments out to farmers. “It became clear the best way to speed up payments was to stick with the current system and work to improve it so that payments were made quicker and confidence rebuilt.

“Ministers have consistently made clear that this will not happen overnight but are determined to see this through.”