RPA MUST PUT HOUSE IN ORDER - HUHNE

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 9th Aug 2006

Responding to today's report into the behaviour of staff at the Newcastle office of the Rural Payments Agency, Liberal Democrat Shadow Environment Secretary, Chris Huhne MP said:

"Today's report vindicates the anger felt by those suffering as a result of delayed farm payments while these antics went on.

"The little people should not be carrying the can for the big mistakes. No senior heads have yet rolled on the biggest case of bureaucratic bungling in the department's history to date.

"It's disgraceful that the former RPA chief, Johnston McNeill is still being paid five months after being sacked and that Margaret Beckett was promoted after her role in this fiasco."