Assurances on CAP discussions sought

GEORGE LYON, Liberal Democrat MEP for Scotland, wants the UK Government to give assurances it is open to discussions on a new basis for distributing CAP cash UK-wide once the Scottish Government has brought to an end the historic calculation of Single Farm Payments.

The share out of CAP cash is based on farm production in 1999-2001.

On a per hectare basis, that share out is e130 per hectare for Scotland,

e339 per hectare for Northern Ireland, e245 per hectare for Wales and e265 per hectare for England and the average payment across the UK is e229 per hectare using the 2013 figures.

Mr Lyon said: “The reason that Scotland still has such a poor share of the UK CAP cash on a per hectare basis is because the Scottish Government has chosen to hang on to the historic payments model for calculating the Single Farm Payments to Scottish farmers while England moved to a flat rate payment system in 2005.

“To open the door to a fairer distribution of CAP cash within the UK the Scottish Government would need to take substantial steps to abolishing the historic payments system and move to an area-based model for paying Scottish farmers.

“That action should trigger discussions with the UK Government on a new basis for the distribution of CAP money across the UK.

“I believe that Scotland, with 85% of its land designated as LFA, would be entitled to a fairer share of the UK CAP cash, one that gave us an SFP pot that is at least the UK average of e229 per hectare.

“That would nearly double the current amount of money in Scotland which last year was worth e550 million to Scottish farmers.

“We need assurances from the UK Government that they are willing to engage with all the devolved governments on how to calculate a fairer distribution of UK CAP cash once every country within the UK moves to the same area-based payments system.

“Scottish farmers need to know that you don’t have to separate from the UK to get a fair share of future CAP support as the Scottish Government would have them believe.

“By working constructively together within the UK there is a much larger prize to play for which will bring real benefits to Scottish farming.”