Wales’ Rural Affairs Minister, Elin Jones, has set out spending plans for the Welsh Assembly Government Rural Affairs budget for 2011/12. The Minister pledged to continue to protect schemes that secure a vibrant future for rural communities and the industries that support them.
The total draft budget for Rural Affairs for 2011/12 amounts to £136.6m, compared to £143.3m in 2010/11.
The Minister said the draft budget will enable all key activity within her department to proceed, including:
- the delivery of the Rural Development Plan for Wales 2007-2013;
- the effective administration of the Single Payment Scheme;
- the programme to eradicate bovine TB;
- the Young Entrants’ Support Scheme.
Elin Jones said:
“The UK Government’s spending review has left Wales with a difficult budget settlement. However, the draft budget allows me to maintain current levels of support for Wales’ rural communities and economies.
“Payments made under the Single Farm Payment Scheme total some £263m of EU funding. To deliver the scheme successfully and ensure farmers receive accurate payments on time requires a very significant level of investment in IT systems. The budget for the Scheme’s administration has therefore been protected.
“Funding to deliver the various strands of the £795m Rural Development Plan 2007-13 is also being protected. This will allow us to continue with funding to farmers under schemes to protect and enhance the countryside; schemes to support farming businesses, and funding to improve the quality of life in rural areas.
“Our comprehensive bovine TB eradication programme is in place and includes measures to address all sources of TB infection. £10.4m is being committed to the TB eradication programme in 2011/12.
“The Young Entrants’ Support Scheme, introduced this year, is also protected in the draft budget. The initiative, which exceeded expectations in its first year with 114 successful applications, will help address the issue of the ageing farming population and ensure a viable future for the industry.
”Across the whole Welsh Assembly Government, difficult choices have had to be made, and clearly there have had to be reductions in some activities. We have approached these choices on the basis of the best evidence available and have worked hard to reduce the duration and impact of any reductions. I am confident that this settlement is a fair deal for rural Wales.”
