12 Defra's handling of the response
to the Communication
226. The previous Government, as recently as
January 2010, was committed to abolishing Pillar 1 of the CAP
by 2020.[389] The current
Government has said it would like direct payments to be phased
out, but will not give a deadline.[390]
In recognition of this shift in attitude, it would seem sensible
for Defra to produce a position paper making its stance clear
to interested parties in the UK and Europe. Yet Defra indicates
it has no intention of doing so.[391]
Moreover, the UK refused to sign up to the EU Agriculture and
Fisheries Council Conclusions on the Commission's proposals.
227. Discussions over CAP reform in the UK have
been dogged by disagreements between Defra and the devolved administrations.[392]
This is not ideal and surely cannot help the UK to press its case
in Europe. We are not convinced that Defra Ministers have recognised
the scale of differences between them and the devolved administrations.
Mr Paice told us "actually once you move away from the totality
of money to how it is spent in the structure of the CAP, there
is a great deal more synergy between us and the devolveds. We
all want the same thing".[393]
Yet the devolved administrations' own position statement on the
CAP highlights key areas of disagreement, notably "Direct
Payments must [...] remain in place and the UK should not adopt
a negotiating position seeking to phase them out".[394]
228. Defra must balance its
twin roles of representing English interests and negotiating on
behalf of the whole United Kingdom. Agricultural conditions and
priorities vary across the UK which can make it difficult to reach
a common position; nonetheless, it is incumbent on Defra to ensure
that the views of the devolved administrations are fairly represented
in negotiations with the EU. We encourage Defra and the devolved
administrations to produce a joint position statement on the CAP
after 2013 swiftly.
389 HM Government, The 2007/08 Agricultural Price
Spikes: Causes and Policy Implications, January 2010, p 17. Back
390
Q 442 Back
391
Q 436 Back
392
"Scotland and Westminster still poles apart on CAP reform",
Farmers Guardian, 17 February 2011; "Devolved Administrations
attack Spelman over CAP", Farmers Guardian, 20 January
2011. Back
393
Q 443 Back
394
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2011/01/19115551 Back
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