The CLA, Friday, 3 October, agreed that a new government department is needed to deal with the increasing twin challenges of energy security and climate change. However, the CLA would stress the need for cohesion between Defra and the new department. CLA President Henry Aubrey-Fletcher said: “The CLA supports the need to give the two increasing global challenges of energy and climate greater resource but we hope the vital role land management plays in both creating renewable energy options and mitigating the effects of climate change will not be overlooked as a result of the split between departments. Defra will be key to ensuring every opportunity is made of the contribution that land management plays in meeting the twin challenges of not just environmental security but also the growing issue of food security. We look forward to working with Ed Miliband and continuing our relationship with Hilary Benn.”
The CLA President said: “The CLA hopes that the new Defra will have greater focus and clarity on rural issues and more time to concentrate on things it has not properly addressed in recent times. This includes a renewed effort in dealing with the abolition of set-aside by rewarding current good practice and ensuring any offsetting measures must retain the competitiveness of English agriculture and should be flexible and practical enough to fit into agricultural systems whilst still delivering the environmental outputs we all want.” The recently published Defra response to the draft Marine bill which includes proposals to create coastal access ignored many of the recommendations by both the EFRA committee and the Joint Committee, both tasked with scrutinising the proposals. The CLA hopes a fresh look can taken at this and that the Government will reconsider its position.
3 October 2008
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