Fresh attack on UK government over EU’S CAP convergence cash
Scottish politicians and farm leaders yesterday returned to what has become along-running sore between this country and there st of the UK– the £ 160 million Scotland is due from common agricultural policy ( CAP) cash.
The money was allocated by the EU to help redistrib - ute CAP payments more equitably across member states. The UK only qualified for an uplift because of Scotland, whose per hectare rate is only 45 percent of the EU average while England, Wales and Northern Ireland are all above the 90 per cent qualifying threshold.
In total, some £ 190m was involved and the UK government allocated S cotland£ 30 mwitht he rest being distributed across the UK, despite this cash being allocated specifically because of low support rates in Scotland.
Commenting on the situation during a statement to the Scottish Par li ament, rural economy secretary Fergus Ewing said: “Without Scotland, the UK would not have received an extra penny. The EU clearly intended this money to go to the farmers who receive the least amount of support, yet the UK has simply pocketed the money. Frankly, the money should be returned.”
The call was taken up by NFU Scotland president Andrew Mccornick, who said the union had been on the case since late 2013.
“Successive commitments have been given by UK government ministers that a review of the internal allocation of UK CAP funding would be started once each of the devolved administrations had implemented the new CAP,” he said.
“This has not been done despite assurances to conduct such a review being set out by the UK minister for agriculture, fisherie sand food in January 2016 and confirmed again a month later.”