Calls to RPA helplines can be split into two categories, single payment scheme (SPS) and animal traceability inquiries. They generally cover the following subject matter.
SPS
SPS—calls relating to farmers entitlement and claim for the scheme.
RLE—general advice on completing the RLE 1 form.
RLR—guidance on mapping queries.
Rural Stress—used by RPA staff and rural support groups when they want to make a referral.
Counterfraud—used by staff and public when they suspect that fraud is taking place.
Animal traceability
BCMS helpdesk—English and Welsh calls relating to the cattle tracing system.
Livestock ID—inquiries about identification of sheep, pigs and goats.
ETAS—used by ear tag manufacturers to log details of all orders processed and despatched to keepers.
WFA—provides an integrated access point to DEFRA and related agencies with the aim of helping to take the paperwork out of farming.
TSE—registers on-farm dead animals to be collected from the farm, brain-stem sampled and disposed of at a registered disposal site.
NFSS—registers farmers as members onto the national fallen stock scheme.
Details of calls received, answered and abandoned are detailed as follows.
Calls received Calls answered Calls Abandoned BCMS English 255,706 251,183 4,261 BCMS Welsh 10,805 10,225 497 Livestock ID 1,549 1,492 45 ETAS 7,275 6,840 161 TSE 260,883 247,110 13,426 TSE Sheep1 1,894 1,833 37 TSE Collectors 5,243 5,111 104 WFA 8,265 7,568 637 NFSS 20,037 19,295 676 NFSS Collectors 3,908 3,789 107 RLE2 10,736 10,715 35 RLR 29,700 28,808 892 SPS 214,051 206,505 7,541 Rural Stress 488 437 51 Counterfraud 324 284 40 Total 830,864 801,195 28,510 Percentage abandoned — — 3.43 1 TSE Sheep helpline went live on 9 October 2007. 2 RLE calls diverted to the SPS helpline in September 2007. Notes: 1. Figures provided are between 10 December 2006 and 9 December 2007. 2. Please note calls abandoned in the first 10 seconds are not counted in the abandoned total.