11-11-09 - Proposed Body for Animal Health to Inherit the RPA’s Problems?

The Government has come under fire in recent weeks for the way in which the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) has mismanaging payments to farmers (at a huge cost to the taxpayer) and misplaced farmers’ personal data. The two articles below from The Daily Telegraph contain more details.

Why should the problems of the RPA matter to horse owners? Because the proposed new body for animal health – as well as being given responsibility for imposing a tax-in-all-but-name on animal owners – could be handed the job of fixing the mess in which the Government has found itself by taking over the role of the RPA.

One of the key reasons why the horse community has opposed the creation of a new Animal Health body is that it would take responsibility for managing disease control away from Ministers and make them less accountable. If the above suggestion is followed through, the new body would inherit the problems which a separate, existing quango – the RPA – is already having in another area. Another reason to join the Rethink the Horse Tax campaign and make your voice heard on why these proposals will not work for horse owners.

Articles from the Daily Telegraph on the RPA:

Confidential details of every farmer in England go missing

The confidential details of every farmer in England went missing for a year, the Government has admitted.

Farm payment fiasco could cost the taxpayer £620 million says National Audit Office

The Government agency in charge of handing out cash to farmers has been accused of a "masterclass of misadministration" that could cost the taxpayer more than £620 million.

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