(S4O-04401) Rural Payments and Services (Single Application Forms)

8. Stewart Stevenson (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Government whether the futures programme is on track to receive all single application forms for rural payments and services by 15 June 2015. (S4O-04401)

The Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform (Aileen McLeod): The Scottish Government is working hard in this transition year to implement the complex common agricultural policy. As of this morning, a total of 12,389 single application forms had been received: 7,675 have been received online through our new rural payments and services system and 4,714 have been received on paper.

With two weeks to go to the close of the extended application window, we have received just over half the expected applications. The rate of submission remains ahead of the comparable point in 2014, when we received 67 per cent of all single application forms in the final two weeks. Therefore, we are on track to receive the estimated 22,000 single application forms by the closing date of 15 June. However, we will continue to monitor the situation closely.

Stewart Stevenson: I thank the minister for the encouraging news that we are ahead of last year’s progress. To be parochial, will she tell us what the response has been in the north-east of Scotland and whether the area is likely to benefit from significant funding?

Aileen McLeod: As of 2 June, the rural payments and inspections division had received 1,842 single application forms from north-east businesses, which is 19 per cent of the total received. That is about half the total expected, with about two weeks of the application window remaining.

On funding, the latest analysis indicates that the north-east of Scotland will account for around €94 million of the direct payment budget—or £68 million at the current exchange rate—at the end of the transition period. That is the highest share of any of Scotland’s regions.

For the agri-environment climate scheme, the region accounts for 19 per cent of applications that are currently in the system. That is the highest total after the south-east of Scotland at 20 per cent.