Liberal Democrats : Rural Communities News Feed

]> Liberal Democrats : Rural Communities News Feed http://www.libdems.org.uk/rural RSS News provided by Liberal Democrats en-gb Sun, 7 Sep 2008 07:50:04 +0100 Copyright Liberal Democrats Liberal Democrats In house Eco-towns ride roughshod over local authorities - pik http://www.libdems.org.uk/rural/story.html?id=14582 With the consultation on eco-towns closing today, the Liberal Democrats have condemned ministers for hijacking local planning processes. Of the 15 councils facing a possible eco-town in their area, 13 have come out as ‘opposed’ or with ‘serious concerns’ about the plans. Despite this, the Government proposes to introduce a ‘place specific’ Planning Policy Statement on Eco-towns next month, which local authorities will have to treat as ‘important material considerations’ in any planning applications for eco-towns. Commenting, Liberal Democrat Shadow Housing Minister, Lembit Öpik said: "So-called eco-towns are a ruse that obscures the Government’s failure to insist that all new developments are environmentally sustainable. "Ministers must be crazy to think people can’t see that the eco-town proposals are designed to ride roughshod over the views of local communities and force through these often controversial developments. "By making the policy statement place specific, the Government is simply dictating to local communities where they must accept these new developments." Mon, 30 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Government continues to fail those vulnerable to flooding - Webb http://www.libdems.org.uk/rural/story.html?id=14546 Reacting to the Flood Recovery Minister’s statement that he is proud of the progress made since last year’s floods, Liberal Democrat Shadow Environment Secretary, Steve Webb said: "The Government is clearly trying to put a positive spin on its handling of the flooding crisis days before the publication of a critical report by Sir Michael Pitt. "The inescapable fact is the Government continues to fail those who are vulnerable to flooding, with around 5,000 families still out of their homes a year after the floods. "Britain’s critical infrastructure is highly vulnerable to flooding, large numbers of new houses are being built on flood plains and fire crews are not fully equipped to cope when a crisis hits. "Householders are going to find it harder and harder to get insurance and almost impossible to sell their homes unless the Government gets a grip on this issue. "Until there is a joined up approach to tackling the flood risk across Government, the problem will get worse rather than better." Tue, 24 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Badger culls must be efficient and humane - Farron http://www.libdems.org.uk/rural/story.html?id=13948 Commenting on the EFRA Select Committee report into Bovine TB published today, Liberal Democrat Countryside Spokesperson, Tim Farron said: "The culling of badgers in TB hotspots with 'hard' boundaries would be welcome under the supervision of both Natural England and Defra. "Farmers must be able to prove that culls will be carried out both efficiently and humanely before a license is granted. "Any policy must have the long-term aim of eradicating Bovine TB through the use of vaccines. "Until Bovine TB can be eradicated, the Government must pay farmers a fair level of compensation for compulsorily slaughtered cattle." Wed, 27 Feb 2008 00:00:00 +0000 New bluetongue outbreaks extremely worrying - Farron http://www.libdems.org.uk/rural/story.html?id=13863 Commenting on the announcement that four new cases of bluetongue have been identified, Liberal Democrat Countryside Spokesperson, Tim Farron said: "These new cases will be extremely worrying for farmers, who are already anticipating another difficult summer. "The Government has ordered over 22 million vaccine doses, but this may not be enough. There are 60 million livestock across the UK, and cattle have to be vaccinated twice. "Production of the vaccine has already been slowed by the biosecurity failures at Pirbright, which also caused last year's outbreaks of foot-and-mouth. "The Government must promise not to introduce a levy to cover the cost of disease outbreaks, as it would be a huge financial blow to an industry which is already struggling." Thu, 14 Feb 2008 00:00:00 +0000 Hill farmers need more support - Farron http://www.libdems.org.uk/rural/story.html?id=13819 Commenting on today's announcement by Defra that the Hill Farm Allowance will be boosted by 6%, Liberal Democrat Countryside Spokesperson, Tim Farron said: "This is welcome news, but 6% is nowhere near enough to help farmers struggling in Severely Disadvantaged Areas. "Hill farming delivers huge environmental benefits to upland areas, such as maintaining biodiversity, preserving land and maintaining the aesthetic beauty of our landscape. "The Liberal Democrats would review the level of the Hill Farming Allowance currently paid in order to recognise the valuable contribution that these farmers make to our countryside." Fri, 8 Feb 2008 00:00:00 +0000 Defra must put its own house in order before making cuts to environment work - Webb http://www.libdems.org.uk/rural/story.html?id=13777 The Liberal Democrats have warned that Defra must ‘put its own house in order’ before making cuts to environmental protection work, following reports that Hilary Benn is holding a meeting tomorrow to discuss the hole in Defra’s budget. Commenting, Liberal Democrat Shadow Environment Secretary, Steve Webb said: "The Defra budget has been in chaos for years. This meeting will be nothing less than a crisis summit for Hilary Benn. "The proposed cuts will have a devastating impact for agencies funded by the department, and ministers will now have to decide whether to cut some services completely. "It is unacceptable if work on vital issues such as climate change, recycling and wildlife protection will take a huge hit. "Defra has spent over £1 billion on management consultants, IT specialists and temp staff in the past five years, and is still paying the price for the disastrous handling of the single farm payment. It must put its own house in order before it makes cuts in much-needed environmental protection work." Tue, 5 Feb 2008 00:00:00 +0000 Joined-up approach needed to tackle bird flu - Huhne http://www.libdems.org.uk/rural/story.html?id=13553 Commenting on the news that Defra is shifting the responsibility for bird flu containment onto farmers, Liberal Democrat Shadow Defra Secretary, Chris Huhne MP said: "Defra has a clear responsibility to tackle bird flu, alongside local councils and animal health departments in partnership with farmers.  "In light of the hat-trick of horror that British farmers have faced this summer - foot-and-mouth, bluetongue and bird flu - Defra must reinstate animal health budgets for local councils immediately.  "Tackling an outbreak like this requires a joined-up approach and adequate resources, not funding cuts and buck-passing." Mon, 26 Nov 2007 00:00:00 +0000 Hilary Benn must get tough - Huhne http://www.libdems.org.uk/rural/story.html?id=13531 Commenting on the new foot-and-mouth disease leak at the Pirbright site in Surrey, Liberal Democrat Shadow Defra Secretary, Chris Huhne MP said: "After promises that the systems at Pirbirght were sound, they appear to have broken down yet again.  "It is a relief that the virus appears not to have leaked into the environment. "However, we cannot have a situation where farmers in Surrey and across the country are in a constant state of fear that their livelihoods could be devastated by sloppy practice at a Government sponsored laboratory designed to protect them.  "I will be seeking further assurances from the Government that biosecurity has been tightened up. "The Secretary of State's position will become untenable if there is any repetition of this. Hilary Benn must get tough on breaches at Pirbright." Thu, 22 Nov 2007 00:00:00 +0000 Quota trading needed to stop fish dumping - Huhne http://www.libdems.org.uk/rural/story.html?id=13514 Commenting on the review of European Union fish quotas, Liberal Democrat Shadow Defra Secretary, Chris Huhne MP said: "It is madness to make fishermen throw dead fish back into the sea. "Instead, they should be forced to buy extra quotas for any fish that they land where they are not authorised to do so. "This would provide a real incentive to apply the technological solutions, such as selective gear, needed to stop accidental catches without wasting perfectly edible fish. "When setting overall quotas, ministers should rigorously follow scientific advice. If Defra's advice is more favourable to higher quotas, the department should put that advice into the public domain." Wed, 21 Nov 2007 00:00:00 +0000 Savings from farm subsidy reforms must go to family farmers - Williams http://www.libdems.org.uk/rural/story.html?id=13511 Commenting on European Commission proposals announced today to limit subsidy payments to large farms, Liberal Democrat Rural Affairs Spokesperson, Roger Williams MP said: "While I support reducing the subsidies given to the largest farmers, the money saved in the UK must not be redistributed to other EU states. "All the new money available should be invested in family farms and rural development projects in the UK. "It is important to end the current regime, where the richest 20% of farmers get 80% of the subsidies." Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:00:00 +0000 Common Agricultural Policy savings must be given to small farmers - Williams http://www.libdems.org.uk/rural/story.html?id=13506 Commenting ahead of the publication tomorrow of European Commission proposals to reform the Common Agricultural Policy, Liberal Democrat Rural Affairs Spokesperson, Roger Williams MP said: "Capping the amount of subsidy given to individual farmers is a welcome step. However, the Commission must ensure that all the savings are redistributed to smaller farmers. "It is outrageous that up to 80% of subsidies go to the largest 20% of farmers rather than to those who are most in need. "The idea of these subsidies is to maintain agricultural land in good condition, not to pay large amounts of taxpayers' money to millionaire landowners." Mon, 19 Nov 2007 00:00:00 +0000 Hat-trick of horror stories for British farming - Huhne http://www.libdems.org.uk/rural/story.html?id=13452 Commenting on the confirmed outbreak of an H5 strain of bird flu on a farm near Diss in Norfolk, Liberal Democrat Shadow Defra Secretary, Chris Huhne MP said: "Another outbreak of bird flu after the Bernard Matthews incident makes it a hat-trick of horror stories for British farming this year: foot and mouth, bluetongue and now bird flu again. "Ministers must pull out all the stops to contain this outbreak and identify its source.  "Despite the discovery of serious failings in procedures during the last outbreak at Bernard Matthews, no one was prosecuted.  "Let us hope that the same sort of mistakes have not been made here." Mon, 12 Nov 2007 00:00:00 +0000 Defra should act quickly on badger cull - Williams http://www.libdems.org.uk/rural/story.html?id=13322 Commenting on the report by the Government's Chief Scientist, Sir David King, calling for a cull of badgers in some areas affected by Bovine TB, Liberal Democrat Rural Affairs Spokesperson, Roger Williams MP said: "I am glad that a report has finally been issued which recognises the potential importance of badger culling in controlling and reducing TB in cattle. "However, it is important that culls only take place in areas where there is a high incidence of Bovine TB. "The removal process must be effectively and humanely carried out by competent operators. "The removal of badgers should not replace stringent controls on cattle movements and testing, but I hope the agricultural community will see that in supporting this move they too must play their part. "I urge Defra to act quickly on these recommendations."   Tue, 23 Oct 2007 00:00:00 +0100 Action needed for Scotland's farmers after ministerial mistake - Carmichael http://www.libdems.org.uk/rural/story.html?id=13257 This evening Alistair Carmichael, Liberal Democrat Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland raised a Point of Order highlighting an error in the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ statement on the foot and mouth outbreak. Alistair Carmichael highlighted that the Minister was in error in asserting that the Scottish Executive is responsible for compensating farmers affected by the outbreak. The text of the Point of Order is below. Commenting, Alistair Carmichael said: "This is something which Liberal Democrats will now pursue with the Minister in the House of Commons. I am seeking an early meeting with him to explain the urgency for Scotland’s farmers that he should act. "Unlike the SNP we will not play politics with the future of Scotland’s farmers." Wed, 10 Oct 2007 00:00:00 +0100 Heads must roll over foot and mouth failure - Huhne http://www.libdems.org.uk/rural/story.html?id=13129 Commenting on the Spratt and HSE reports into the Surrey foot-and-mouth outbreak, Liberal Democrat Shadow Defra Secretary, Chris Huhne MP said: "These reports clearly point the finger at Pirbright as the source of the Surrey foot-and-mouth outbreak. It is shocking and appalling that facilities designed to protect British farming have actually damaged it. "Farmers are right to be angry and concerned about the slapdash, complacent and negligent handling of a deadly virus that caused £6bn of devastation to the rural economy in 2001. "It is extraordinarily complacent that an effluent pipe was left unrepaired for three years in what was meant to be a high security bio-containment facility. Defra was warned, but completely failed to act. Heads must roll. "The most senior person who was informed of this situation - whether minister or civil servant - must be held to account for this error of judgement and should be sacked for incompetence, as they would be anywhere else. Without personal accountability, similar complacency will rule in future. "It is crazy that contractors improving such a bio-secure site were not themselves taking more care over the potential spread of the virus. There is little doubt that the virus spread because contractors' lorries from Pirbright drove past the farms where the FMD outbreak occurred. "There is a clear conflict of interest between Defra's role in licensing the Pirbright site, and its role in signing off expenditure to make it bio-secure. These functions need to be clearly separated. How on earth could Defra license a bio-secure plant where there was no routine maintenance or even inspection of the drainage and treatment facilities? "The farmers whose businesses have been destroyed now have the strongest possible claim against both Pirbright and the Department." Fri, 7 Sep 2007 00:00:00 +0100