The Houses of Parliament have announced that a Westminster Hall debate will take place tomorrow [January 28] on the problems with BPS. This comes after concerns of local farmers were voiced by the NFU to their MP, James Heappey, on the burden of stress caused by the application and payment process.
Mr Heappey MP won the Westminster Hall debate ballot and chose to raise his constituents’ concerns. Fellow MPs and the Defra Minister attending the debate will cover BPS issues including number of completed payments, accurate RPA communication and the 2016 application.
The NFU’s Westminster and BPS team have supported Mr Heappey and his colleagues in preparing for this 90-minute debate – the length of this session will give ample opportunity for government and opposition MPs from across the country to discuss wider rural issues.
NFU county delegate for Somerset James Small led the meeting with his MP and said: “We welcome James Heappey’s choice of debate picked up from the open and honest discussions we’ve had on the concerns of Somerset farmers.
“The RPA's implementation of the BPS scheme in 2015 has been beset by problems resulting in delays and additional stresses to hard pressed farmers across the country. We are pleased to see that it’s being given the national attention it deserves.”
NFU Vice President Guy Smith added: “For the thousands of working farmers still waiting for their BPS payments two months after the opening of the payment window it will be reassuring to hear Westminster takes this issue seriously. Any attention given by MPs as to how we can better get these payments out in a timelier manner both this year and next year will be appreciated by the farming community.”
Watch the debate live or later at Parliament TV then click on Westminster Hall.
