LATEST RPA FIASCO

4.53.02pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 3rd Jul 2009

Nick notes, 'after proving incapable of efficiently administering rural subsidies, the Rural Payments Agency has once again landed itself in hot water. Now it transpires its mapping of farms on which it bases its payments is inaccurate.

'Around 120,000 farms have been issued maps of their land, but many have proved to be out of date. The concern is that the single farm payment for 2010 will not be based on accurate data.

'Environment Minister Jim Fitzpatrick has reassured farmers that it will not cause a problem, but going on the RPA's previous track record I remain unconvinced.'