Farming in the Uplands - ARCHIVE: Defra

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14 Farming in the Uplands “strategy”, and anticipated that the document would set out a national perspective that allowed for local flexibility. 61 It would, he told us, contain “serious action points that we can deliver on.” 62 29. Mindful of our witnesses strictures that it is time to “get on with it”, the Government should set out an uplands action plan; setting out its policy objectives, the specific action to be taken to achieve them, by whom, the timescales for implementation and the scale and source of the resources available. The action plan should address the breadth of issues considered in High ground, high potential, allow for flexibility of approach to reflect the variation between upland areas and encompass action to be taken by each Government department. Leadership 30. In High ground, high potential, the CRC identified the need to provide “...visible leadership at a national level to drive genuinely integrated activity across all of the government departments that have a role to play” 63 The CRC therefore recommended that: The Government should appoint an individual with lead responsibility for developing and ensuring effective implementation of the new uplands strategy. This individual should be accountable to Ministers of BIS, CLG, DECC and DEFRA. 64 The TFA has expressed concern that following the abolition of the CRC “...there will not be a sufficient advocate for the uplands”. The Association said that “it is vital that someone or some agency is given responsibility to take this work [the CRC’s recommendations] forward.” 65 Professor Shucksmith told us that the CRC was not calling for a ‘rural tsar’, but rather that “...somebody should have responsibility in Government [...]somebody who [...] probably would be a Minister—somebody who would have responsibility”. 66 Dr Burgess told us that he would wish that leadership role taken on by “...somebody right at the top level of Government, in the Cabinet Office, for example”. 67 EMBARGOED ADVANCE COPY: Not to be published in full, or part, in any form before 00.01am GMT Wednesday 16 February 2011 31. William Worsley, President of the CLA, suggested that a Minister should have specific responsibility for the uplands, “as somebody to champion and co-ordinate” among government departments and agencies. 68 The NFU, however, suggested that “the diversity of the English uplands and the range of communities present means a single champion model is unlikely to be appropriate.” 69 Rather the NFU proposes “an uplands panel drawn from business and social communities across England with a sponsoring Minister”; 61 Qq 178–179 62 Qq 169, 178–179 63 High ground, high potential, p 11 64 High ground, high potential, p 11 65 Ev 53 66 Q 21 67 Q 21 68 Q 101 69 Ev 63
EMBARGOED ADVANCE COPY: Not to be published in full, or part, in any form before 00.01am GMT Wednesday 16 February 2011 Farming in the Uplands 15 arguing that “Such a forum would draw on a wider breadth of knowledge, indicate the seriousness of uplands issues, and would be more adept at dealing with any conflicts that arise given the multiple needs of uplands communities.” 70 While not committing himself, the Minister of State said that he would consider such an approach. 71 32. Our witnesses agreed on the need for a Minister to have responsibility for the uplands. In oral evidence, the Commission for Rural Communities suggested that such a Minister might reside in the Cabinet Office, which has a co-ordinating role across Government. A Minister responsible for the uplands should be immersed in rural and agricultural matters and prepared to take on other Government departments in pursuit of the best outcome for the uplands. There is a risk that a Minister based in the Cabinet Office would be too remote from policy making in Defra to fulfil this role effectively. If Defra’s uplands strategy is to be successful it is imperative that the department have sufficient influence across Whitehall to ensure that the Government as a whole recognise the importance of the uplands and hill farming. We recommend that a Defra Minister is given cross-cutting responsibilities for the uplands. That Minister should establish an effective advisory panel to provide a breadth of expertise to challenge policy proposals and confront inertia within Government. 70 Ev 63 71 Q 181
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Farming in the Uplands - ARCHIVE: Defra

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