Help farmers get PCs, says Gill
14 June 2000
Help farmers get PCs, says Gill
By Isabel Davies
THE government should consider funding a programme to provide farmers with computers and training in how to use them, MPs have been told.
Ben Gill, president of the National Farmers Union, made the statement giving evidence to the Agriculture Select Committee on Wednesday (14 June).
“It would be beneficial not just in connection with submitting forms to MAFF but also in communicating information to farmers,” he said.
Mr Gill said government proposals to allow farmers to apply for subsidies over the internet rather than by post had their attractions.
It could make data handling much easier and that would speed up payments to all farmers not just those submitting claims electronically, he said.
But Mr Gill stressed that farmers must also have the option to continue to submit claims on paper if they so wished.
Richard Cork of the Public and Commercial Services Union, which represents MAFF employees, said there was little to gain from internet-based subsidy claims.
The only real advantage for farmers from electronic transfer of information was that it would be quicker to submit and more secure than the post, he said.
Mr Cork said his union was opposed to plans to close down regional ministry offices and introduce a national processing centre to process subsidy applications.
He said: “It will end up expanding the process and making it even longer because farmers will have to submit and make queries through a third person.”