Elizabeth pushes for reductions to farming inspections

Today in the House of Commons during DEFRA questions, Minister for Farming, Jim Paice MP, in response to a question by Elizabeth Truss MP, announced a move towards reducing the level of inspections on farms.

Elizabeth Truss MP (Con, South West Norfolk): What steps the Minister is taking to reduce the regulatory burden of inspections on farmers?

The Rt Hon Jim Paice MP (Minister for Farming): In my written statement of 3 November I announced the publication of the interim response to the Independent Farm Regulation Task Force. I stated that the Government’s final response would be published early this year. This is still my intention.

Elizabeth Truss MP: Tomorrow I am holding a farming forum in Shouldham Thorpe. What can I tell local farmers about progress towards a single farm inspection regime, which would both save them time and save the Government money.

Rt Hon Jim Paice MP Minster for Farming: I am pleased to be able to say to my honourable friend that whilst I can’t guarantee a single inspection regime we are certainly moving. When I publish our response to the MacDonald Report, fairly shortly, I hope my honourable friend and the House will see we are trying to move towards a much simpler inspection regime using the concept of earned recognition. Whereby we can trust farmers that have demonstrated their ability to comply with regulation, we can reduce the level of regulation on them and the burden of inspection on them. In other cases we can merge inspection regimes so that one person does it for more than one agency.

Elizabeth said after the debate, ‘I am extremely pleased that the Government recognises that farmers with a good track record should not be subjected to multiple inspections. Time and time again the feedback from farmers in my South West Norfolk constituency has been that the number of inspections, often duplicating each other, have proved costly and time consuming for all. I will continue to press the government to ensure that unnecessary red tape and  bureaucracy is reduced.’