Common Agricultural Policy and Digital Mapping (Hansard, 15 March 2004)

§ The Earl of Liverpool
asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the total number of staff at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs engaged on (a) the mid-term review of the common agricultural policy; (b) the administering of CAP payments to farmers; and (c) the digital mapping exercise. [HL1711]

§ Lord Whitty
The table below shows the number of staff working on the common agricultural policy (CAP) mid-term review, the administration of CAP payments to farmers and the digital mapping exercise at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Rural Payments Agency (RPA). The RPA is an executive agency of Defra and is the single paying agency responsible for CAP schemes in England.

Defra¹ RPA² Total

(a) mid-term review 11 19 30

(b) CAP payments — 3,034 3,034

(c) digital mapping — 23 23

Total 11 3,076 3,087

¹ For core-Defra a total of 11 staff are working full-time in the team implementing CAP reform following the mid-term review, and a significant number of others are devoting varying parts of their time to this area of work.

² These figures include all staff engaged in support areas but do not include staff working for the British Cattle Movement Service, or those staff on career breaks.

26WA

§ The Earl of Liverpool
asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many consultants and advisers are currently working for the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on (a) the mid-term review; (b) the administering of common agricultural policy payments to farmers; and (c) the digital mapping exercise. [HL 1712]

§ Lord Whitty
The table below shows the number of consultants and advisers working on the common agricultural policy (CAP) mid-term review, the administration of CAP payments to farmers and the digital mapping exercise at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Rural Payments Agency (RPA). The RPA is an executive agency of Defra and is the single paying agency responsible for CAP schemes in England.

Defra RPA Total

(a) mid-term review 3 26¹ 29

(b) CAP payments — 73 73

(c) digital mapping — 1 1

Total 3 100 103

¹ This figure consists of eight consultants supporting the RPA in the delivery of CAP reform and a further 18 consultants employed by information systems suppliers to design and build computer systems to run the new single farm payment scheme.

In addition to the above there are currently 99 consultants employed on the RPA change programme.

	Defra¹	RPA²	Total
(a) mid-term review	11	19	30
(b) CAP payments	—	3,034	3,034
(c) digital mapping	—	23	23
Total	11	3,076	3,087
¹ For core-Defra a total of 11 staff are working full-time in the team implementing CAP reform following the mid-term review, and a significant number of others are devoting varying parts of their time to this area of work.
² These figures include all staff engaged in support areas but do not include staff working for the British Cattle Movement Service, or those staff on career breaks.

	Defra	RPA	Total
(a) mid-term review	3	26¹	29
(b) CAP payments	—	73	73
(c) digital mapping	—	1	1
Total	3	100	103
¹ This figure consists of eight consultants supporting the RPA in the delivery of CAP reform and a further 18 consultants employed by information systems suppliers to design and build computer systems to run the new single farm payment scheme.