Speaking to FWi last week, John Bridge said that replacing the five existing levy boards with one statutory levy board and six sector companies should bring efficiencies.

It was too early to say whether this could lead to dramatic changes in levy rates, he said, but his instinct was that there was no reason for levies to go up.

"In fact there is a pretty strong reason for them either to remain pretty stable, or you may be able, through efficiency gains, to see them go down," he said.

Dr Bridge, who is an economist with more than 40 years' experience in the public, private and academic sectors, said the current review process was an opportunity to deliver some significant changes for the better.

Source: FWi