Fixing the RPA

Inefficiency has dogged the RPA, to the extent that it has cost the taxpayers of this country 190m in fines over botched subsidy payments, and a shake-up is long overdue. Its new chief executive, Mark Grimshaw, brings with him an encouraging pedigree for delivering improvements at another fatering funding body, the Child Support Agency, and it must be hoped that he can do the same for the RPA. However, a cautionary note must be sounded at the prospect of the agency losing 20 per cent of its workforce.

There have been some promising signs recently that the RPA is finally getting to grips with its responsibilities in the wake of the damning review of its performance last July. Such improvements in efficiency are to be welcomed, and need to continue. Those in charge at the RPA must ensure that the loss of staff does not compromise its ability to do the job. Lean efficiency in the public sector is laudable, but there can be little doubt that at least some of the cuts facing the RPA are a consequence of the Government's need to make substantial savings, and fewer people does not necessarily equate with improved performance.

If that were to be the case, there is a clear danger that the agency would return to its bad old days, which, of course would mean the ultimate losers would be the farmers. That cannot be allowed to happen. They have put up with more than enough from the RPA already. Agriculture faces enough challenges as it is, and a fresh round of problems caused by a malfunctioning RPA short of staff is the last thing it needs.