DEFRA CUTS EXPOSE DYSFUNCTIONAL GOVERNMENT - HUHNE

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Mon 4th Sep 2006

Commenting on reports that research into avian flu, environmental pollution and food safety may have to be reduced due to a funding shortfall at Defra, Liberal Democrat Shadow Environment Secretary, Chris Huhne MP said:

"Defra's attempts to cut budgets sharply during this financial year are a crazy way to run a railroad.

"At the same time that the Prime Minister says that global warming is the key threat to our civilisation, his Environment Secretary David Miliband is cutting the flood defences that can protect us against some of its consequences. This is not joined up government but dysfunctional government.

"The overruns on IT at the Rural Payments Agency and the amount the British taxpayer rather than Brussels will pay should properly be met from the contingency reserve, as they are one-off errors. They should not derail a key aspect of government policy."