UK Government Must Review Unfair CAP Funding Allocation

£190 Million Lost to Scotland’s Rural Economy
The SNP has today called on the UK Rural Affairs Secretary to undertake a review of how the UK Government allocates Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) funding, following the decision last year not to pass on £190 million of convergence funding to Scotland.

The Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Richard Lochhead MSP, has today confirmed that he has written to his Westminster counterpart calling for her to honour a commitment made by her predecessor to review the allocation of CAP funding within the UK.

© Crown Copyright

The UK Government received an additional £190 million uplift in CAP funding as a result of Scotland’s low payment rates. However, only a fraction of this was passed on to the Scottish Government.

Commenting, Stewart Stevenson MSP said:

“The decision of the UK Government not to pass on to Scotland the funding it received solely due to Scotland’s historic low payment rates was sheer larceny.

“Scotland’s farmers and crofters received only a fraction of the £190 million that they should have benefited from, funding which undoubtedly would have led to a far greater benefit for the rural economy.

“The former UK Secretary of State gave a reassurance that the grossly unfair allocation of CAP funding would be reviewed in 2016. Now that it is 2016, it’s time for his successor to get on with this review and to do so quickly.”