Defra has been accused of a cover up after it delayed answering
questions and releasing a report on missing tapes containing
farmers' bank details.
Speaking in the Commons last week (29 October),
Defra secretary Hilary Benn
vowed to make an investigation into the loss of 39 data tapes
containing farmers' confidential details available to MPs.
But, almost a week later, shadow farm minister Nick Herbert said
there was no sign of the report, while "very straightforward"
parliamentary questions about the data loss had been delayed.
"Quite apart from the scandal of losing this data and the
ongoing failures of the RPA, this deliberate stalling raises
serious questions about ministers' handling of this matter and what
they knew about the data loss," he said.
"This looks increasingly like a cover-up."
Mr Benn was forced to make a statement to the Commons after
Farmers Weekly revealed that 39 tapes had gone missing,
allegedly when they were transferred between
Rural Payments
Agency offices in Reading and Newcastle.
Defra was alerted to the loss in May, but did not alert the RPA.
The agency discovered the problem in September and found 37 of the
tapes, but at no time were farmers alerted.
A Defra spokesman denied a cover up and said the report was
being finalised before it was made available to MPs.
"The report to Parliament is something that aims to cover all
the issues that have been raised," he added. "We are keen not to
pre-empt the report."
