Bates welcomes victory for common sense

Release/Rhyddhau: Thursday, 14 April 2005 

Contact/Cyswllt: Ceirion Rees:
029 2089 8342/ 07733280105/ ceirion.rees@wales.gov.uk 

Welsh Liberal Democrat countryside spokesperson, Mick Bates, has welcomed a ruling by officials in the Welsh Assembly Government allowing farmers to appeal against repeat penalties imposed under the Single Farm Payment.

Previously it was understood that farmers who made an error in the reference years would have seen their penalty repeated throughout the life of the new payment, with virtually no scope of appeal.

Mr Bates said:  “This is great news. A real victory for common sense.  I have campaigned against the idea of repeat penalties since they were first mentioned.

“We have all made a mistake at some point in our life.  Most of us only pay the penalty for each mistake once.  Repeating penalties is quite simply unfair.

“This new ruling will give hope to a large number of farmers who have made honest mistakes in filling in their forms.

“I urge every farmer who has been penalised under the payment to now appeal to their divisional office.”