Responses To Queen's Speech

Responding to Government’s priorities set out in the Queen’s Speech, CLA President Mark Bridgeman said:

“We welcome government’s recognition of the need to modernise the planning system – but they must ensure that reforms apply as much to the countryside as they do urban environments.

“For too long, the countryside has been treated like a museum, held back by an outdated system that has frustrated economic growth. Rural poverty will only be eased and opportunity only created if we allow landowners to invest in their communities. We regularly hear of farmers wanting to convert farm buildings into new modern offices, or build more homes for local people, only to be held back by an antiquated planning system.

“If this system is simplified, twinned with other measures such as fulfilling their pledge to spend £5bn on the roll-out of gigabit capable broadband, then the vast potential of the rural economy might finally be unleashed.”

On environmental standards, Mr Bridgeman added:

“Farming businesses want to deliver positive environmental benefits to the land they manage, helping to reverse biodiversity decline and mitigate climate change as well as feed the nation. Much of this is reliant on a well-structured Environmental Land Management (ELM) scheme, but more clarity is needed to allow these businesses to plan ahead. Otherwise, changes in legislation could have damaging consequences for the sector.”

Also responding to the government's agenda for health, as laid out in the Queen's speech, Dr Katherine Henderson, President of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, said:

“We welcome the government’s focus on health and national recovery, and keenly await further details. The protection of health is of the utmost importance, especially as the health service begins to return to normal levels of activity, with increased demand for emergency care and the growing waiting lists of elective care.

“We welcome the promise of additional funding for this phase. The College has set out our priorities in Summer to Recover: Winter Proofing the Urgent and Emergency Care system for 2021, which makes clear that our Emergency Departments must be prepared – and adequately resourced - for this increase in demand, particularly as lockdown restrictions are eased and as we begin to approach Winter.

“The health system is interconnected, social care, primary care, elective care, all have an impact on Emergency Medicine and Emergency Departments (EDs). EDs must be able to cope with increased demand from patients across the health service, we saw how a lack of resources and capacity impacted us going into the pandemic.

“Without enough resources and capacity in EDs, an increase in demand for urgent and emergency care could derail elective recovery and further delay operations, which could pose a risk to patient safety. It is vital that the government allocates sufficient funding to prepare the Urgent and Emergency Care system for what could be a challenging time ahead.

“The government is also proposing sweeping changes to the structure of the NHS, but we are frustrated that a workforce plan is yet to be laid out. Without filling in the significant gaps in staffing, any reorganisation risks being undermined. The health service and Emergency Medicine are facing a staffing crisis and a potential exodus following the pandemic. Medical places must be increased, training places must be increased, more staff need to be recruited into the workforce and importantly, work must be done to retain the staff we do have.”