Lord Chelwoodasked Her Majesty's Government: What they estimate to have been the saving to the taxpayer in 1982 and 1983 from ending the need for prior approval of farm improvements, how this compares with the annual saving originally expected, whether they will now return to the former system in the interests of better protection of the environment; and what are the views of the National Farmers' Union about this.
§ Lord BelsteadThe requirement for prior approval of grant aided improvements was abolished in 1980. It is not possible to identify savings made in particular years from this change alone because they were spread over a period of time and were coupled with the reorganisation of the Ministry's regional structure which also produced staff savings. The expected saving of some 400 staff has, however, been achieved with a consequent and permanent saving in financial terms of some £3.5million at current salary levels.
I understand that in its recent evidence to the Select Committee on the European Communities; Sub-Committee on Agriculture and the Environment, the National Farmers' Union stated that it would approve of the reintroduction of the prior approval provision "in some appropriate form".