Rural Payments Agency
Encyclopedia
The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) is an executive agency
of the UK
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
(DEFRA).
The RPA was created on 16 October 2001 from the amalgamation of the Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce and the Defra Paying Agency as a single paying agency for most Common Agricultural Policy
schemes in England
and certain schemes throughout the whole of the UK. Most notably the agency is responsible for administering and distributing the Single Payment Scheme
to farmers in England. It also enforces the European Union
's regulations on the size and shape of vegetables and fruit sold in shops, by warning and advising businesses, and occasionally prosecuting under section 14 of the Agriculture and Horticulture Act 1964.
The RPA delivers payments to farmers and traders in excess of £2 billion per year. In Scotland
, Wales
and Northern Ireland
, RPA operates on behalf of the devolved administrations through agency agreements.
Part of the role of the agency is to issue holding numbers and vendor numbers to landowners in England who wish to take advantage of the various schemes DEFRA offers.
In 2003 the British Cattle Movement Service
was amalgamated into the RPA, it manages the Cattle Tracing System (CTS) for the whole of Great Britain
, it maintains a register of births, deaths and imports of cattle to be used for animal health and subsidy control purposes; issues cattle passports; records where individual cattle are as well as operating a dedicated helpline and provide online facilities for delivering its services.
The Rural Land Registry is also a part of the RPA, and this division sends land maps to landowners in the United Kingdom
.
. They are situated in the following towns:
The Agency also has a number of smaller drop-in centres which are also all located in England.
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee published on 18 January 2006 a highly critical interim report http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmselect/cmenvfru/840/84002.htm into the agency's IT systems and activity.
On 15 March 2006 the Chief Executive Johnson McNeil was sacked when a deadline of 14 February for calculating Single Payment Scheme
entitlements was missed.
The payments are overdue, and farmers complain they are being taxed on money they haven't received and incurring interest costs and emergency loan charges, at a time when ex-farm prices are low.
Further, on 12 June 2006 the RPA confirmed that an internal inquiry was under way into "outrageous behaviour" in the agency office in Newcastle
.
Executive agency
An executive agency, also known as a next-step agency, is a part of a government department that is treated as managerially and budgetarily separate in order to carry out some part of the executive functions of the United Kingdom government, Scottish Government, Welsh Assembly or Northern Ireland...
of the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is the government department responsible for environmental protection, food production and standards, agriculture, fisheries and rural communities in the United Kingdom...
(DEFRA).
The RPA was created on 16 October 2001 from the amalgamation of the Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce and the Defra Paying Agency as a single paying agency for most Common Agricultural Policy
Common Agricultural Policy
The Common Agricultural Policy is a system of European Union agricultural subsidies and programmes. It represents 48% of the EU's budget, €49.8 billion in 2006 ....
schemes in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and certain schemes throughout the whole of the UK. Most notably the agency is responsible for administering and distributing the Single Payment Scheme
Single Payment Scheme
On 26 June 2003, EU farm ministers adopted a fundamental reform of the Common Agricultural Policy and introduced a new Single payment scheme for direct subsidy payments to landowners....
to farmers in England. It also enforces the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
's regulations on the size and shape of vegetables and fruit sold in shops, by warning and advising businesses, and occasionally prosecuting under section 14 of the Agriculture and Horticulture Act 1964.
The RPA delivers payments to farmers and traders in excess of £2 billion per year. In Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
and Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, RPA operates on behalf of the devolved administrations through agency agreements.
Part of the role of the agency is to issue holding numbers and vendor numbers to landowners in England who wish to take advantage of the various schemes DEFRA offers.
In 2003 the British Cattle Movement Service
British Cattle Movement Service
The British Cattle Movement Service is the organisation responsible for maintaining a database of all bovine animals in the United Kingdom...
was amalgamated into the RPA, it manages the Cattle Tracing System (CTS) for the whole of Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
, it maintains a register of births, deaths and imports of cattle to be used for animal health and subsidy control purposes; issues cattle passports; records where individual cattle are as well as operating a dedicated helpline and provide online facilities for delivering its services.
The Rural Land Registry is also a part of the RPA, and this division sends land maps to landowners in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Offices
RPA has six main offices which are all located in EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. They are situated in the following towns:
- CarlisleCity of CarlisleThe City of Carlisle is a local government district of Cumbria, England, with the status of a city and non-metropolitan district. It is named after its largest settlement, Carlisle, but covers a far larger area which includes the towns of Brampton and Longtown, as well as outlying villages...
- ExeterExeterExeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
- NewcastleNewcastle upon TyneNewcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
- NorthallertonNorthallertonNorthallerton is an affluent market town and civil parish in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England. It lies in the Vale of Mowbray and at the northern end of the Vale of York. It has a population of 15,741 according to the 2001 census...
- ReadingReading, BerkshireReading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
(Head Office) - WorkingtonWorkingtonWorkington is a town, civil parish and port on the west coast of Cumbria, England, at the mouth of the River Derwent. Lying within the Borough of Allerdale, Workington is southwest of Carlisle, west of Cockermouth, and southwest of Maryport...
The Agency also has a number of smaller drop-in centres which are also all located in England.
Criticism
The House of CommonsBritish House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee published on 18 January 2006 a highly critical interim report http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmselect/cmenvfru/840/84002.htm into the agency's IT systems and activity.
On 15 March 2006 the Chief Executive Johnson McNeil was sacked when a deadline of 14 February for calculating Single Payment Scheme
Single Payment Scheme
On 26 June 2003, EU farm ministers adopted a fundamental reform of the Common Agricultural Policy and introduced a new Single payment scheme for direct subsidy payments to landowners....
entitlements was missed.
The payments are overdue, and farmers complain they are being taxed on money they haven't received and incurring interest costs and emergency loan charges, at a time when ex-farm prices are low.
Further, on 12 June 2006 the RPA confirmed that an internal inquiry was under way into "outrageous behaviour" in the agency office in Newcastle
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
.