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Levy Board Report

Rosemary Radcliffe has completed her independent review of UK agricultural and horticultural levy bodies, and her report is published today. Copies are being placed in the Libraries of both Houses. My ministerial colleagues in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and I wish to offer our thanks to the Reviewer for the thorough and inclusive way in which she has carried out her work. In summary, the Reviewer finds that there is still a case for statutory levies to address issues of market failure in the sectors in question, and she makes recommendations for a new structure to meet the sectors' needs in future. This includes proposed arrangements for improving governance, flexibility, focus inactivities undertaken, levy collection arrangements, and operations and service delivery, to increase overall value for money for, and accountability to the levy payer. My noble Friend Lord Bach is today launching a full consultation on the report so that the views of stakeholders, and in particular levy payers, can be taken into account before formal policy proposals are developed. This consultation will run for 12 weeks, and a further statement will be made thereafter.