News / Lochhead urged to act swiftly on delayed CAP payments
CROFTERS in the islands need to see “urgency and leadership” from the Scottish Government over delays to payments under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), according to Shetland MSP Tavish Scott.
Scott raised the issue at Holyrood on Wednesday, asking rural affairs, food and environment minister Richard Lochhead to resolve the problem swiftly.
The MSP said the SNP administration had failed to meet its pledge to make CAP payments – a “vital part of croft cash flow at this time of year” – before 2015 was out.
Most of Shetland’s 900 crofters are yet to receive any payment and many still do not know what they are to receive.
Lochhead said the government intended to pay the first instalment to the majority of crofters and farmers this month, with the final balance to be paid in April, and the remainder of the first payments would be paid in February and March.
Scott said the government had spent £178 million on a computer system that had been condemned by Audit Scotland for being 74 per cent over budget.
“The impact of late CAP payments will now affect other support measures for Shetland crofters,” he said.
“Richard Lochhead confirmed to me today that LFASS [Less Favoured Areas Support Scheme], agri-environmental, beef and hog schemes are likely to be delayed as well. This is a worrying time for crofters who need these payments to help with higher feed bills.
“In a normal year, these croft payments would have been made before Christmas. Yet as the rain pours down, some crofters will receive nothing until April. The minister did not know how many payment region reviews are outstanding for Shetland crofters. Agriculture desperately needs to see urgency and leadership from the government at this time.”
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