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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Budget cuts considered for Defra | Budget cuts considered for Defra |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is facing budget cuts of between £130m and £270m. | |
| The prospective cutbacks come as the department faces bills for animal health issues such as foot-and-mouth, bluetongue and bird flu. | |
| Defra's management is understood to be considering across the board cuts for several agencies. | Defra's management is understood to be considering across the board cuts for several agencies. |
| These include the Environment Agency, Natural England, British Waterways and a variety of farming projects. | These include the Environment Agency, Natural England, British Waterways and a variety of farming projects. |
| BBC political correspondent James Hardy said that the cuts are due to be made over the next three years. | BBC political correspondent James Hardy said that the cuts are due to be made over the next three years. |
| A ministerial source has told the BBC that the situation is 'very serious' and that a number of agencies will be hit by spending cuts, or at best, a spending freeze. | A ministerial source has told the BBC that the situation is 'very serious' and that a number of agencies will be hit by spending cuts, or at best, a spending freeze. |
| However, it is understood that cash set aside for building and other infrastructure projects, including £200m for flood defences, will escape the spending cuts. | However, it is understood that cash set aside for building and other infrastructure projects, including £200m for flood defences, will escape the spending cuts. |
| A Defra spokesman said that in common with other ministries, detailed planning work was under way, but that no final decisions had been taken. | A Defra spokesman said that in common with other ministries, detailed planning work was under way, but that no final decisions had been taken. |