Farmers hit by further finance gaffe

● Holyrood’s crisis loan scheme could have left hundreds shortchanged

The Scottish Government has come under fire after it emerged that another blunder has hit its financial support system for farmers.

A miscalculation made in letters issued by Nicola Sturgeon’s administration suggested that hundreds of farmers could have been shortchanged by a Scottish Government loan scheme.

The loan scheme was introduced to make amends for a computer blunder that fouled up agricultural cash and delayed millions of pounds of Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) payments.

It was introduced by the government to help tie over farmers who were suffering as a result of the IT glitch in the Scottish Government’s computer system.

The loans are being offered to around 17,000 of the 18,300 farmers who have applied to 2016 CAP support schemes.

Yesterday, it emerged that the Scottish Government letters have miscalculated the amount that some farmers should receive by failing to take into account their hill ground.

The Scottish Government acknowledged the error after the letters were printed. Last night the government insisted that farmers would receive the loans on time.

But Peter Chapman, shadow Cabinet secretary for rural

0 Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing says staff have been busting a gut to put things right economy and connectivity, said: “There has been a string of failures that have to be laid at the door of the SNP.

“After months of delays costing millions of pounds, farmers have been left completely in the dark about which payments they have received, with no explanation offered for the sums that have been paid out.

“Now we hear that many of the National Loan payments, which were simply a sticking plaster to cover up the SNP’S mistakes, have been calculated wrongly.

“Fergus Ewing [the rural economy secretary] told parliament that staff in the area offices have been ‘busting a gut’ to put things right – well, I’m afraid they are going to do so again to call around the many worried families around the country who are simply trying to keep their heads above water.”

NFU Scotland chief executive Scott Walker said: “It is essential that the individuals affected by this IT blunder still get their loan in November.

“Once again farmers and crofters will be justifiably asking when this system will ever be fit for purpose.”

A government spokeswoman said: “We regret this miscalculation – which has nothing to do with the new IT system.

“We have acted very swiftly to address it and to ensure it doesn’t affect the timetable for getting the loan payments to farmers.”