Audit Scotland’s ‘damning’ verdict on CAP payment handling

Following the release of an Audit Scotland report into the Scottish Government’s handling of the farm payments scheme, Orkney MSP Liam McArthur has called on the new agricultural minister, Fergus Ewing, to act immediately to help reassure farmers and crofters.

The report states that the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) programme continues to experience serious cost and operational issues and is unlikely to ever deliver value for money.

Audit Scotland has concluded that, with £126 million already spent, funds could run out before the IT system fully meets European Commission regulations.

It is estimated that as a result of the crisis, over £300 million has been lost to rural economies, including Orkney.

Liam McArthur said: “Audit Scotland’s verdict is damning. The new agriculture minister, Fergus Ewing has a tough job on his hands but must immediately get to grips with the brief in order to sort out this mess. SNP ministers have had £178 million to get their new IT system right.

“Despite the high, and rising, cost to taxpayers, however, Audit Scotland have concluded that the Scottish Government could yet run out of money before this is even achieved.”

Responding to the publication of the report, Deputy First Minister John Swinney said: “Our focus right now, as it has been throughout this programme, remains 100 per cent on getting payments out to farmers and crofters ahead of the EU’s deadline of 30 June.

“The challenges involved in implementing these reforms have been apparent for some time. We’ve been open about them and determined in our response, because we know the impact this has had for the agricultural community.

“We have made progress since Audit Scotland did their work for this report. Around 80 per cent of first instalments have now been paid using the new system, which has been performing well during this year’s Single Application Form window.

“We have also made more than 16,000 nationally-funded payments to farmers and crofters as well as 7,000 support payments to beef producers.”