Farm minister Fergus Ewing yesterday said the bulk of farmers and crofters should have received their final subsidy payment by now.
Addressing the Scottish Parliament’s rural economy and connectivity committee yesterday morning, Mr Ewing said resolving the current Common Agricultural Policy (Cap) payments fiasco had been his immediate and foremost priority since taking on his role last month
Problems with the government’s new £178million IT system for administering Cap payments have resulted in farmers and crofters having to wait months for their support money – in previous years they have been paid in December.
“I am pleased to be able to update members on our progress in fixing it,” Mr Ewing told the committee yesterday.
“Balance payments worth more than £60million went out over the last weekend. Further substantial payments were made yesterday and will be made today and tomorrow. I can now say that most farmers and crofters should have received most of their due payment. But anyone who is not in that position should already have received a substantial loan payment unless they chose to opt out of the loan scheme or their claim was ineligible.”
He admitted payment performance had “fallen short” of the government’s previous track record and said a full review would be carried out in future to ensure lessons were learned.
Mr Ewing also used his address to the parliamentary committee to discuss the impact of the Brexit referendum result.
He accused the UK Government of having no plan B for farm subsidies and said there was a “complete absence of clarity” over what would happen to Cap payments after the vote to leave the EU.
He called on the UK Government to make a clear statement of intent on the issue within days to reassure rural communities.
Mr Ewing said that while Brexit had caused “greater uncertainty” for Scotland’s farmers and crofters, the Scottish Government was committed to continuing to provide a “ballast” of financial support.
He told the Holyrood committee: “I can give that in-principle commitment. What I can’t do is to give any assurance as to what we receive from the UK Government. I’ve no idea what the UK Government’s view on this is.”
Despite First Minister Nicola Sturgeon pursuing talks with European officials on protecting Scotland’s place in the EU, Mr Ewing said: “The EU is a reserved responsibility.”
He added: “The EU recognises the UK as the member state and the member state speaks on agriculture and is responsible for finance.
“So, it is for the UK Government to come up with clear proposals. It is primarily, as a matter of simple law, their responsibility and I urge them to do so as quickly as possible.”
