A war of words has erupted between a Scots MEP and the Scottish Government over the time-scale for paying this year’s farm subsidies.
Conservative MEP Ian Duncan has called on government to take advantage of measures announced as part of the European Commission’s 500million euro support package, which enable the early delivery of support payments.
The measures give member states the option to pay up to 70% of direct support payments from October 16. The payments can be made without on-farm inspections, provided administrative checks have been carried out.
In a letter to Scots farm minister Richard Lochhead, Mr Duncan said: “To address the serious issue of cash-flow problems affecting Scottish farmers, the Scottish Government must bring forward the early release of Cap payments. I have spoken with Commissioner Hogan. He has confirmed once again that there is no legal impediment at European or member state level to the Scottish Government making payments early.
“Commissioner Hogan has given you the powers to help hard pressed farmers through these difficult times and they are telling me that they expect you to use them.”
He said farmers would be bewildered to hear that the payments could not be made early.
His letter concluded: “You have the money in your bank account. It’s time to get the money into the hands of farmers.”
The Scottish Government hit out at the letter and accused Mr Duncan of being insincere.
A spokesman for Mr Lochhead said: “This is another boomerang attack by Mr Duncan who is both incorrect and, since his colleagues in the UK Government are in the same position in relation to payments, is totally insincere.
“What farmers and wider industry would appreciate more is Mr Duncan using any influence with his Conservative colleagues to secure an uplift in Scotland’s share of the Cap budget and return of the convergence uplift to Scotland. Timing of payments is important but so is the level of payments and justice for our industry.”
The spokesman said government would continue to press the European Commission for more flexibility with the new regime.
He said: “With more than 21,000 Single Application Forms to process and around 1,300 farms to inspect, along with new policy and new systems to implement, what would be helpful is flexibility on the inspection requirements for payments to be made in the normal payment window after December 1. In the meantime, the Scottish Government is working flat out to be able to begin making basic payments by the end of the year.”
Last week Commissioner Hogan said there was no reason why Scotland, or any other member state, could not take advantage of the measures to make payments early.