Continuing delays in £160 million farm payments review show how badly Scotland’s farmers are being taken for granted, according to SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford.
There was outrage at the Royal Highland Show last week when UK Environment Secretary Michael Gove astonishingly failed to give the Scottish farming industry the one key assurance it needed – that the long-promised review into the allocation of £160 million of convergence funding would go ahead.
Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing had expected a commitment that cash for Scotland’s per hectare subsidy support figure would be brought more in line with the European average, which was also a target of NFU Scotland president Andrew McCornick.
However, Mr Gove made no commitment to any review and passed responsibility over to the Treasury.
Now Mr Blackford has written to Mr Gove accusing him of giving “insufficient priority” to the issue and demanding clarity so farmers can plan ahead.
There were “deep concerns” about the indefinite delay, he said, suggesting Mr Gove should set out a timetable for a review as it was unacceptable for farmers to now be asked to take decisions for the post-Brexit period without the full facts.
The Ross, Skye and Lochaber MP said: “The issue here is one of certainty and trust and for this review to be delayed yet again sends the message that Scotland’s needs in agricultural funding discussions are of insufficient priority to the UK Government to merit any form of prompt action.
“We have waited long enough for the review to start and farmers deserve to know when it will take place. Furthermore, we need to understand how future funding can be accessed without this review bring completed.
“We are clear that the historic payment rate would mean Scottish farmers will be continuously disadvantaged and that would be totally unfair.”
Mr Blackford added the Scottish Government has confirmed less favoured area support scheme (LFASS) payments in Scotland will continue into 2019 with payments at the 80% maximum that EU rules permit and a Scottish consultation on post-Brexit agricultural policy has been announced.
Gordon MP Colin Clark, Conservative, said SNP complaints were designed to disguise their own failures.
“Ian Blackford and the SNP appear desperate to deflect attention from their failures on Scottish farming,” he said.
“The SNP presided over a CAP IT fiasco that starved our rural economy of hundreds of millions of pounds, while Fergus Ewing took two years to even begin discussing plans for post-Brexit farm support.
“The fact is it took Scottish Conservative MPs to secure a commitment from the UK Government to review convergence payments.
“Michael Gove said last week the matter was in the hands of the Treasury and we will continue to work constructively to ensure Scottish farmers get their fair share.”