Select Committee on Agriculture Appendices to the Minutes of Evidence


APPENDIX 12

Memorandum submitted by Wessex Regional Service Centre (E16)

WESSEX—BRISTOL

1.  DESCRIPTION OF THE AREA AND TYPE OF FARMING

  The Wessex Regional Service Centre is situated at the far north of the region on the outskirts of Bristol. The Wessex region covers Dorset, Somerset, Wiltshire and the former County of Avon (comprising the City of Bristol, South Gloucestershire, North Somerset, and Bath & North East Somerset). Its total agricultural area is just over 800,000 hectares with just under 20,000 holdings.

  Dairy farming predominates in much of Somerset and Dorset, with livestock rearing widespread throughout the region. There are two significant areas of hill farming, the Quantock Hills and Exmoor in West Somerset. Forty per cent of the agricultural land in the region is in arable production, centred mainly around Wiltshire and Dorset. There are three Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESAs) within the region, Exmoor, the Someset Levels and Moors and the South Wessex Downs. Three other ESAs, the Blackdown Hills, the Cotswolds and the Avon Valley also lie partly in the region, but are administered from neighbouring RSCs.

  Badgers are spread widely throughout the region, and the RSC receives more than a quarter of all English applications under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992 to interfere with badger setts to prevent serious damage.

2.  UPTAKE AND ADMINISTRATION OF SCHEMES

ARABLE AREA PAYMENTS SCHEME (AAPS) 1999
ClaimsTotal grant £k Average grant £k% paid by EU deadline
3,30656,77117.2 97.48


BEEF SPECIAL PREMIUM SCHEME (BSPS) 1998
ApplicantsTotal paid £k % paid by EU deadline
4,03912,64398.77


SUCKLER COW PREMIUM SCHEME (SCPS) 1998
ClaimsTotal paid £k % paid by EU deadline
1,9258,02299.61


SHEEP ANNUAL PREMIUM SCHEME (SAPS) 1998
ClaimsTotal paid £k Average payment £k% claims paid by deadline
2,3759,7034.0 99.5


HILL LIVESTOCK COMPENSATORY ALLOWANCES (HLCA) 2000
Eligible claimsTotal allowances paid £k Average payment £k% eligible claims paid by deadline
2661,4125.3 99.25


ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREAS 1998-99
AgreementsTotal payments due £k Average grant £k% paid by EU deadline
1,8825,5102.9 96.8


COUNTRYSIDE STEWARDSHIP SCHEME 1991-99
AgreementsBudget £k
8263,217


FARM WOODLAND/FARM WOODLAND PREMIUM SCHEMES 1.4.92-31.3.00
ApprovalsExpenditure £k
479557


ORGANIC FARMING SCHEME (OFS) 1999
ApplicantsFirst year commitment of expenditure £k Average value per case (first year) £k
2262,52611.1


ORGANIC AID SCHEME (OAS) 1999
ApplicantsPayments £k Average value £k
1132302.0


PROTECTION OF BADGERS ACT 1992 1.4.98-31.3.99
ApplicationsLicences issued % meeting Citizen's Charter target
17318395.4


WILDLIFE AND COUNTRYSIDE ACT 1.4.98-31.3.99
ApplicationsLicences issued % meeting Citizen's Charter target
341097.1

3.  ENQUIRIES

  In 1999 Wessex RSC received a total of 5,598 visitors. There were 109,015 incoming telephone calls received by the switchboard. The RSC received 1,566 Citizen's Charter letters between 1.4.99 and 31.3.00 and it replied to 1,435 (91.6 per cent) within 10 working days.

4.  NUMBER OF STAFF

  Staff in post at 1 April 2000—190.5. (Business Plan for 2000-01 indicates a staffing need in the region of 224.)

5.  FACILITIES AVAILABLE

  There are reception facilities to deal with up to six visitors at any one time in the foyer and a small interview room if visitors need privacy. On-site car parking is available for 150 vehicles and the site (occupied by other Departments as well as MAFF) has a conference suite. There are facilities for disabled staff and visitors. There is no staff restaurant.

6.  USE OF IT

  No regional difference or exercises.

7.  PERFORMANCE MEASURES

  Performance measures are indicated in the tables under Paragraph 2—Schemes and in Paragraph 3—Enquiries.

8.  RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER AGENCIES

  Wessex RSC has regular contact with other government agencies such as the Government Office for the South West based at Bristol. It also has regular contacts with local authorities and agricultural organisations covering a wide sector of the industry within the Wessex Region. [1]Regional Agri-Environment Consultation Group meetings have been held bi-annually, chaired by the Regional Director. Such meetings are attended by statutory partners, such as the Countryside Agency, Environment Agency, English Nature, English Heritage and by other organisations such as the National Trust, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, the Council for the Protection of Rural England, the World Wildlife Fund for Nature, Exmoor National Park Authority, Forestry Commission, Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group, Ramblers Association, County Councils and Farming and Rural Conservation Agency.

  The RSC also holds bi-annual Rural Liaison Meetings with regional representatives from agricultural organisations such as National Farmers Union, Country Landowners Association, Tenant Farmers Association, Women's Food and Farming Union, Transport and General Workers Union and consumer groups. Representatives from Agricultural Colleges attend on occasion.

9.  LOCAL INITIATIVES OR CIRCUMSTANCES

  Like other RSCs we hold IACS "surgeries" in various parts of the region enabling farmers to hand in their forms to MAFF staff in the run up to the IACS deadline. Wessex RSC offers placements for work experience for pupils from local schools in Bristol. Over the last few years there has been an excellent uptake.

11 May 2000


1   To be reformed under RDR as National Rural Development Forum on a Government Office basis. Back


 
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