Budget cuts loom over Defra

Moved to tackle Britain’s record £163 billion deficit, Mr Osborne must cut £6 billion out of spending this year alone. 

Having promised to defend spending on front-line services, such as the NHS, the new Defra Secretary Caroline Spelman will be listening intently to see just how drastic the cuts will be in her department.

But the Tories say they are prepared to save millions of pounds.

Before the General Election the Party identified a number of areas where Defra could save money – including a reduction in rural quangos, reform of the RPA and a reduction in unnecessary inspections and red-tape.    

The Tories promised an industry-led review, within three months of taking office, of all existing regulations, including cross-compliance, with a view to reducing burdens.

To help Ministers cut waste there was a further Tory commitment to set up a board made up of senior non-executive directors to hold Defra to account.

And while the Party said it would ‘prioritise R&D within the departmental budget’ it admitted this would only be possible through new public and private sector agreements.

But whatever frugal measures are agreed, NFU president Peter Kendall urged Ministers to ensure long term food security.

“We need to make sure, through establishing big over-arching principles, we don’t damage the fabric of the industry,” he said last month.

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