The Rural Payments Agency - a farce to be reckoned with.

Angus Collingwood-Cameron, North East Director for the CLA, comments on media reports of inappropriate behaviour by some staff at the Newcastle Office of the Rural Payments Agency. Mr Collingwood-Cameron said:

"The news of this sort of behaviour amongst the staff in the Newcastle Rural Payment Agency office has come as a shock to the North East farming industry.

"If reports of frivolous antics at the RPA in Newcastle turn out to be true, then I find it quite astounding. Farmers have had to cope with huge amounts of stress as they waited and waited for the RPA to come up with the money they were owed. They were led to believe that RPA staff were working like Trojans to sort out all the problems. Now it seems that this was far from the case in this particular office.

"It would appear that there has been a complete failure of management at all levels of the organisation. This sort of behaviour is not acceptable in any branch of the civil service, and I hope that anyone found guilty will be dealt with in an appropriate manner.

"The news that many of those farmers who have not yet received a penny, will be paid at least 80% in the next few days, does temper the blow. However, it is hard not to think that the payments would have been made some time ago if RPA staff were fully focused on their work."