MAFF seeks cash for subsidy reform

7 June 2000



MAFF seeks cash for subsidy reform

by Alistair Driver

THE Ministry of Agriculture has confirmed it is seeking Treasury money to radically reform the way it distributes 1.5billion of farm subsidies.

In its business plan for 2000/1, MAFF wants to reorganise its nine regional service centres and two Intervention Board offices into a single paying agency.

It wants an unspecified amount of money from this years government spending review to transfer subsidy claims to the Internet by 2002.

Under the plan, some MAFF staff involved in agri-environment schemes and European-funded initiatives could be relocated to regional government offices.

A review by consultants PricewaterhouseCoopers at the end of 1999 recommended that all subsidy claims should eventually be made via the internet.

It proposed that MAFF should close the majority of its nine regional service centres and reduce the number of staff from 3350 to 1750.

The report recommended that direct contact between MAFF local officials and farmers should be replaced by a telephone call centre.

Agriculture minister Nick Brown is currently considering proposals about which MAFF regional offices should be closed.

The MAFF spokesman said transferring some staff to regional government offices was not linked to the expected closure of regional MAFF offices.

However, such a move would enable better co-ordination between government departments on agri-environment issues and funding, he added.

A small number of MAFF staff would be involved in the move but the offices would not offer farmers with face to face contact with MAFF officials.