New booklet poses 10 key questions for rural policy

A list of 10 questions has been created for policymakers to highlight the unique challenges facing rural Scotland once the UK leaves the EU.

The questions are outlined in a new booklet – After Brexit: 10 Key Questions for Rural Policy in Scotland – produced by the Rural Policy Centre at Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) and the Centre for Rural Economy at Newcastle University.

They include: How can the supply of public goods be maintained?; Would a more formal system of land use planning ensure better outcomes for Scotland’s rural economy after Brexit?; and how can support for disadvantaged and more remote rural areas be sustained and targeted to enable them to reach their full potential?

Other questions address issues such as the implications of Brexit on labour supply in Scotland, digital connectivity, and the consequences for the food and drink sectors.

“As a result of Brexit, Scotland has the opportunity to devise a fresh vision for the future of its rural areas and to design new policies to deliver that vision to the benefit of both rural and urban Scotland,” said SRUC’S Rural Policy Centre manager, Dr Jane Atterton.

“This booklet asks key questions and provides essential food for thought for those responsible for leading Scotland’s rural policy following Brexit.”

The new booklet looks at the challenges facing farmers in Scotland following Brexit.