Sturgeon faces the moo-sic over farmers’ EU cash fiasco
THE First Minister has apologised to farmers over delays caused by the troubled IT system set up to deliver EU subsidy payments.
Nicola Sturgeon insisted there is “no complacency” on the part of the Scottish Government and there is “100 per cent focus” to ensure 2016 Common Agricultural Policy payments are made on time.
Sturgeon faced farmers at the Royal Highland Show at Ingliston, Edinburgh, after it emerged the Government had asked the European Commission for an extension to the June 30 deadline for processing the subsidies.
Ministers were forced to seek an extension last year after problems with Holyrood’s £178million IT system caused delays.
Sturgeon told industry representatives: “We have made a clear commitment to do all we can to make the 2016 pillar one payments by the end of next week – the set payment period – although we have discussed the contingency of an extension to that.
“At present we’ve made more than £249million of these payments and of course farmers have been given access to loans pending the delivery of their actual payments.
“We are making significant progress now on payments and on resolving the remaining IT issues in the system.
“I want to assure you today... there’s no complacency on the Scottish Government’s part about this matter.
“We have already apologised and we do so again today to farmers for the failures that have been experienced and I guarantee that we will continue to give this matter our full focus to ensure that farmers get the service they deserve.”