Additional funding of £211 million for Scottish farmers and crofters must be delivered to the Scottish Government now, rather than next April.
That was the message from Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing at a briefing on farm subsidy payments in Holyrood yesterday.
Mr Ewing welcomed the “belated” commitment from the UK Government to return convergence uplift money to Scotland but said the cheque was not yet in the post.
The extra Common Agricultural Policy funding, allocated to the UK to bring Scotland’s per-hectare subsidy average up, did not all come to Scotland, and earlier this month Chancellor Sajid Javid vowed to “correct that decision” by awarding £160m to Scots farmers, while the Bew Review Group recommended a further allocation of £51.4m in funding over the next two years.
Mr Ewing said the normal timetable for autumn spending commitments, whereby the money is awarded in spring of the following year, was not applicable in the case of convergence uplift funds.
He said Finance Secretary Derek Mackay was writing to the chancellor asking that the money be paid now.
Scottish Government officials are making plans and industry stakeholders will be consulted before a final decision, he said, but the lion’s share must go to those it was intended for.
Mr Ewing said the money would not go to those who have ceased farming, but perhaps missed out on extra funds while still in business, and decisions on which businesses were most eligible would not simply be based on their participation in other subsidy schemes such as the Less Favoured Areas Support Scheme.
“The aim really is to help those who most need the assistance,” he added.
“We need to have discussions with the key stakeholders, and that’s right and proper, but I hope we can come to a final (support) package as soon as possible and be ready to dispatch the money as soon as possible.”
