Tale of the tape
The challenge facing Ministers is determining those rules that are necessary on health and welfare grounds – and which can be discarded. Two points are particularly pertinent. It makes eminent sense for Defra to involve farmers in the creation of new regulations – and the accompanying paperwork. Their understanding of the English language is, invariably, very different to Whitehall’s double-speak.
Second, given the tendency for Defra Ministers to no longer be steeped in farming or the countryside, it is important that more industry experts are used to assist the decision-making process. For, if this had happened in the past, there would not be so much unnecessary red-tape to be untangled. Having come so far, it is now up to Ministers to implement the changes, particularly those pertaining to Europe.