Warm welcome from MSPS but questions asked about ‘delays’

The release of the consultation – Stability and Simplicity: proposals for rural funding transition period – yesterday was welcomed by both industry bodies and politicians – although many questioned why it had taken so long.

While giving the move a “hurrah!”, Liberal MSP Mike Rumbles questioned why the process had not been started 18 months ago – when he said the Scottish Parliament had told rural affairs secretary Fergus Ewing to start the process.

“We have lost a year and a half – why has it taken him so long?” asked Rumbles.

In this he was echoing remarks made by Conservative MSP Donald Cameron, who said that every opposition party in the parliament had been urging the Scottish Government to “stop dithering and get on with outlining its plans”, adding: “Until now it has been the Scottish Government which has provided little clarity and almost no certainty.”

NFU Scotland welcomed the document as an important step in delivering the correct policy for Scottish farmers and crofters, saying the consultation was in line with its own thinking outlined in its series of “Change!” documents on future farm policy.

“We have encouraged the Scottish Government to come forward with a Scottish agricultural policy that will support active farmers and crofters and help support profitable farming,” said the union’s president, Andrew Mccornick.

The commitment to look at legislative simplification and address the disproportionate mapping, inspection and penalty processes would, said Mccornick, “be music to the ears of farmers and crofters”.

Stating that future policy should recognise that agriculture already supported more than 75,000 businesses in the food and drinks industry he said policy developments must recognise that profitable and productive farmers and crofters are at the heart of the country’s success story.

He concluded: “The timescale for responses is tight but we need decisions sooner than later, we need a policy to support activity mapped out to give confidence to the industry.”

“We have lost a year and a half–why has it taken him so long?”

MIKE RUMBLES MSP