Chamber and committees

The Single Farm Payment Scheme (SFPS) does not have a date set in legislation when payments must be made, rather a payment window that, for each scheme year, opens on 1 December 2012 and closes on 30 June 2013 the following year, in accordance the European regulation that governs the scheme. Providing all eligibility checks are completed satisfactorily and payment is made within that window, settlement of claims cannot be classed as overdue or late. The issue of compensation raised in question S4W-11925, answered on 25 January 2013, therefore, does not arise. Nevertheless, we aim to serve the best interests of the agricultural sector as a whole by paying claims in full at the earliest possible date: if necessary, allocating additional resources to ensure that this happens, as was the case this year given the impact on farmers of the adverse weather. Over the last six years, we have paid at least 70% of claims within the first few days of the opening of the payment window and in the same period have, on average, paid around 95% cent of claims by 31 December. To date, under the 2012 scheme, we have settled over 18,000 claims, representing 97% of potential beneficiaries, and provided total funding of £430 million.

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-11923 on 25 January 2013. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

Scottish Government scientists have reviewed both published and regulatory scientific data and also keep this issue under constant review.

Some studies in certain conditions demonstrate sub-lethal effects of neonicotinoids, which includes impairment of foraging ability and return to the hive by individuals leading to reduced worker, brood and queen production.

However, studies conducted under realistic field conditions have not identified any unacceptable risk at field population level.

This issue is kept under constant review. The Scottish Government has asked the Advisory Committee on Pesticides to look at the latest European Food Safety Authority’s findings.

Under the European regulatory process for approving pesticides, decisions on pesticide approvals are based on a dossier of evidence submitted by the company. The dossier can include published scientific evidence from independent sources, as well as evidence from studies funded by the company. In the latter case, such studies are required to have been carried out to internationally recognised guidelines and have verified Good Laboratory Practice and quality assurance certification, in order to ensure that the results are objective and impartial.

Under its agency agreement with Scottish Ministers, the Chemicals Regulation Directorate (CRD) is carrying out work designed to help to better understand the likely consequences of possible regulatory options for neonicotinoids, including the implications of alternative pesticides or pest control measures being used.

Pesticides are tightly regulated and subject to a rigorous assessment before they can be sold or used in the UK. This process includes an assessment of the toxicity of pesticides to foraging bees and bee hives.

Pesticide usage data has been collected by SASA (Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture) from farm records as part of regular surveys since the mid-1970s. Survey results can be found at:

http://www.sasa.gov.uk/pesticides-usage-survey-reports.

Scottish Government officials have already had contact with scientists who gave evidence to the Environmental Audit Committee, on a number of issues.

The Scottish Government also has extensive contact with scientists on issues relating to bees and bee health through the insect pollinators initiative (IPI). The IPI aims to aid understanding and mitigation of the biological and environmental factors that adversely affect insect pollinators.

There are no statutory rules to say that oilseed rape seed must be treated with neonicotinoids.

According to the Scottish Government’s Pesticide Usage Surveys, virtually all commercially available non-organic oilseed rape seed is pre-treated. Farmers can obtain untreated oilseed rape by using Home Saved seed grown from Conventional Certified seed grown on the farm. The Scottish Government’s data suggests relatively few farmers use Home Saved oilseed rape seed, and those that do mostly still choose to have a dressing applied.

The Scottish Government has regular on-going discussions on pesticide issues with its own scientists in SASA (Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture), our Scottish assessor on the Advisory Committee on Pesticides, with Scotland’s Rural College and officials in the Health and Safety Executive’s Chemicals Regulation Directorate.

To gather the information for (a) and (b) could only be done so at a disproportionate cost.

Neonicotinoid seed treatments are aimed at two groups of pests on oilseed rape, flea beetles and aphids.

It is difficult to estimate the average yield loss from feeding damage caused by various flea beetle species as crop establishment depends on how favourable crop growth conditions are at the time of sowing.

However, aphids which transmit turnip yellow virus when feeding are estimated to cause a yield loss of up to 30% at an individual crop level.