Reward for Rural Payments Agency farce a ‘slap in the face’ to farmers – Rogerson
Responding to the National Audit Office (NAO) report on failures in the Rural Payments Agency, North Cornwall MP Dan Rogerson, today (Wednesday) described as "insulting" the Government's rewards to those responsible for administering the Single Payment Scheme.
The NAO report found that one fifth of farmers affected by the scheme had suffered distress and anxiety, as a result of the delays in administering the Single Farm Payment.
The former Chief Executive of the Rural Payments Agency, responsible for running the Scheme, was removed from his post in March 2006 but remains on full pay of almost £114,000 a year.
Commenting, Mr Rogerson said:
"This bungled scheme had cost £122.3m by March 2006 – just to implement. But this rank incompetence has undoubtedly cost many their livelihoods too, as the NAO's clear evidence of distress to hundreds of farmers makes clear.
"What a slap in the face to farmers that those responsible for this farce are not reproached but rewarded. The Chief Executive of the RPA receives his stratospheric salary, even though – mercifully – he is not at his desk, and the Minister responsible has been promoted to Foreign Secretary.
"The NAO report is a damning indictment of the Rural Payments Agency and of this Government's attitude to farming."
