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Report aims to cut away red tape strangling agriculture

Report aims to cut away red tape strangling agriculture

The author of a report into cutting red tape in the agricultural sector said yesterday he was confident it would bring changes – and some of them quickly.

Brian Pack was speaking in Perth as he published his interim findings which make 72 recommendations. They range from the complex requiring legislative action and others which the Scottish Government could do itself, including giving farmers access to the database it uses for cattle inspections to avoid them making application errors.

He also told farmers, crofters and their representative organisations they need to make themselves more aware of the European audit process so they better understand why the government and its agencies take the stance they do, given the fear they have of breaching rules and being fined.

The 196-page report – drawn together by Mr Pack with help from an expert group which included Perthshire farmer David Mitchell, retired government scientist Professor Maggie Gill and former Highlands and Islands Enterprise director Bob Stubbs as well as SRUC staff member Steven Thomson – now goes out for responses. A final report and formal recommendations to government are due in May.

One of Mr Pack’s key messages is that Scotland needs to temper its enthusiasm for implementing EU directives through using ambitious Scottish interpretations and instead give more consideration to the nature of the European audit culture and the “inevitable difficulties” that causes, even when it knows its approach offers better solutions.

He added: “Ultimately we may need to look at voluntary industry initiatives or stand-alone Scottish instruments if we want to deliver our ambitions. This point is particularly relevant as we look to implement the reformed Cap.

“We believe that a major shift in the mindset of our administrators should be encouraged as we require legislation which simply enacts EU directives yet, provides flexibility in its application. This is a movement from the incumbent process in Scotland where the normal aims of our legislation is to nail the issue down tightly in a prescriptive nature. We believe that lawyers must be seen as advisers with administrators taking the lead on a reasonable risk profile.”

Mr Pack said his probe had been incredibly challenging in getting to grips with the regulatory regime and the opportunities for improving it and the regulations, particularly as there was no single expert to call on as government splits responsibility between divisions, quangos and directorates.

Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead welcomed the report, saying it shone a light on the complexity of the legislation faced by farmers.

He promised government would examine the recommendations in detail.

NFU Scotland said it too would study the report and respond. Chief executive Scott Walker said farmers recognised the need for regulation, but felt the bureaucracy now surrounding farming had gone beyond what is acceptable or practical. “The length of the list identified by Brian highlights the scale of the problem but his recommendations, if delivered, have the potential to make a real difference,” he added.

“This interim report is an important step in a process that must lift or mitigate any unnecessary regulatory burden away from Scottish farmers and let them get on with the job of producing food. That would be to the benefit of both the regulated and the regulators.”

Mr Pack’s report is at http://www.scotland.gov. uk/Publications/2013/ 12/4967