DEFRA CUTS BEGIN TO BITE WITH BRITISH WATERWAYS - HUHNE

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 10th Oct 2006

Defra's bungling of single farm payments will mean a whole range of environmental and rural services will suffer.

Today's announcement that British Waterways is to cut 180 jobs, is just the latest consequence of Defra's mismanagement of the Single Farm Payments, according to the Liberal Democrats.

The announcement comes the day before the launch of Natural England, Defra's new flagship natural environment agency.

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Shadow Environment Secretary, Chris Huhne MP said:

"These redundancies show that Defra's budget cuts are beginning to bite.

"It's not just our canal networks that will suffer but a whole range of environmental and rural services.

"Defra's new flagship agency for the natural environment, Natural England, will launch with the family silver already on sale.

"Even worse, while the Prime Minister argues that global warming is the key threat to our civilisation, Defra is cutting the flood defences that can protect us against some of its consequences.

"Defra's bungling of single farm payments should be covered by the contingency reserve. Instead the Government is undermining key aspects of its own policy."