Dave Thompson MSP

Dave Thompson, SNP MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch and Member of the Rural Affairs, Climate Change and Environment Committee used a recent (02/02/16) Question in the Scottish Parliament to ask the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Food and the Environment, Richard Lochhead, what lessons have been learned from CAP so that the next set of payments will be handled better.

He also welcomed the issue of timely payments to crofters and farmers.

Mr Thompson said, “The issue of timely payments to crofters and farmers is something which is very important so it is heartening to note from the Cabinet Secretary that lessons will be learned from previous the years CAP.

“Many crofters and farmers in my constituency are suffering at the moment, therefore I hope they will be reassured by this announcement and that those suffering hardship will contact the helpline on 0300 300 2222 for assistance”.

Note:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/report.aspx?r=10348&i=95211

Dave Thompson (Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch) (SNP): The cabinet secretary noted that many crofters and farmers in my constituency are suffering at the moment, and I thank him for his comments about people who are experiencing hardship being able to phone the helpline or their local office, to make the case to local officials for a bit of help. People who have a cash-flow problem are the ones who will really struggle.

What is being done to ensure that lessons are learned from the process, so that the payments at the end of this year will be handled better?

Richard Lochhead: Dave Thompson made a number of pertinent points. Many of the tasks that have been undertaken in relation to the information technology system are one-off tasks, because this is the first year after a radical reform of the common agricultural policy, in relation to not only pillar 1, which is direct payments, but pillar 2, which is the rural development programme.

That has required 20 separate schemes to be launched in 2015 alone; in relation to direct payments we have six schemes, many of which have regional variations, because of the industry requirement to ensure that there is regional targeting, which the Scottish Government supported.

At the same time, we decided that area payments should be made at three different levels, depending on the kind of land, because we wanted to ensure that we targeted resources at the most active farmers and crofters in Scotland. Again, the approach was supported by the industry and this Parliament. Many of the tasks in that regard are one-off tasks. We will continue to improve the IT system and we will certainly learn lessons, as Dave Thompson suggested. Members will be aware that in 2005 there was a move to area payments south of the border, and major difficulties were encountered at the time—indeed, only a couple of per cent of farmers received payments by February 2005. Our rate in Scotland is much higher than that, albeit that we face similar challenges. -