Common Agriculture Policy (CAP)

The Committee agreed on the 5 October 2016, as part of their work programme to receive regular updates from the Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy and Connectivity on Common Agriculture Policy (CAP).

The EU Common Agricultural Policy has two pillars. Pillar 1 provides direct payments to farmers and is fully funded by the EU. Pillar 2 supports rural development, is jointly funded by the EU, national governments and transfers from Pillar 1.

2016

The Cabinet Secretary appeared in front of the Committee to discuss CAP policy and performance issues on 21 September 2016 following a statement in the chamber on 13 September.

In addition he answered questions on the financial aspects of CAP during scrutiny of the draft budget 2017-18 on 21 December 2016.

2017

The Cabinet Secertary came before the Committee again to update it on CAP issues on 25 January 2017 and 10 May 2017.

The Committee invited the Cabinet Secretary on 28 June 2017 to give a final update on CAP Payments as the deadline for payments was the end of June.

A futher session with the Cabinet Secretary took place on 27 September to update the Committee.

Again, the Committee explored CAP during scrutiny of the draft budget 2018-19 on 20 December 2017.

2018

On the 6 June and 31 October, the Cabinet Secretary was invited to provide an update on general agriculture issues, CAP was covered during the meeting.

Correspondence

In follow up to the sessions with additional information related to CAP was received from the Cabinet Secretary:

Letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Connectivity to the Committee regarding is responses to follow up questions from his appearance before the Committee on 21 September 2016, 25 October 2016 (35KB pdf)

A further letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Connectivity to the Committee regarding is responses to follow up questions from his appearance before the Committee on 21 September 2016, 25 November 2016 (189KB pdf)

Letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Connectivity to the Committee regarding is responses to follow up questions from his appearance before the Committee on 21 December 2016, 30 December 2016 (94KB pdf)

Letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Connectivity to the Committee regarding his responses to follow up questions from his appearance before the Committee on 25 January 2017, 1 March 2017 (402KB pdf)

Letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Connectivity to the Committee regarding his responses to follow up questions from his appearance before the Committee on 10 May 2017, 7 June 2017 (168KB pdf)

Letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Connectivity to the Committee regarding is responses to follow up questions from his appearance before the Committee on 28 June 2017, 21 July 2017 (141KB pdf)

Letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Connectivity to the Committee regarding his responses to follow up questions from his appearance before the Committee on 27 September 2017, 16 October 2017 (174KB pdf)

Letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Connectivity to the Committee regarding his responses to follow up questions from his appearance before the Committee on 6 June 2018, 2 July 2018 (273KB pdf)

 Other correspondence received in relation to CAP -

• Letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Connectivity to the Committee regarding greening rules for farmers under the Common Agricultural Policy, 17 February 2017 (129KB pdf)
• Letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Connectivity to the Committee regarding an introduction of a loan scheme for the Less Favoured Area Support Scheme (LFASS), 4 April 2017 (147KB pdf)
• Letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Connectivity to the Committee regarding CAP convergence, 27 April 2017 (1,199KB pdf)
• Letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Connectivity to the Committee regarding the ARE Futures Technial Assurance Review, 21 June 2017 (550KB pdf)
• Letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Connectivity to the Committee regarding the request for an extension in relation to the CAP Pillar 1 payment deadline, 26 June 2017 (150KB pdf)
• Letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Connectivity to the Committee regarding figures he gave in relation to the Scottish Upland Sheep Support Scheme during his opening statement at 28 June meeting, 29 June 2017 (30KB pdf)
• Letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Connectivity to the Committee regarding an update on CAP Greening 2018 Guidance, 23 August 2017 (126KB pdf)
• Letter from the Scottish Government to the Committee regarding a change to the monthly payment updates, 7 September 2017 (83KB pdf)
• Letter from Public Audit and Post-legislative Scrutiny Committee to the Committee regarding a recent evidence session the PAPLS Committee had with the Scottish Government on 7 September to discuss the Auditor General's update report on CAP futures, 3 October 2017 (273KB pdf)
• Letter from the Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy and Connectivity regarding CAP Greening Group Discussion Paper, 2 February 2018 (416KB pdf)
• Letter from the Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy regarding the establishment of BPS loan scheme for 2018, 13 August 2018 (109KB pdf)

CAP Payments Update

• See the updates of the CAP 2016 Payments from the Scottish Government

The Committee received monthly updates of the CAP 2017 Payments from the Scottish Government -  

• Monthly CAP 2017 Payment Reporting, 30 April 2018 (20KB pdf)
• Monthly CAP 2017 Payment Reporting, 29 May 2018 (28KB pdf)
• Monthly CAP 2017 Payment Reporting, 27 June 2018 (12KB pdf) Latest Pillar 1 2017 payment position ahead of 30 June deadline.
• Monthly CAP 2017 Payment Reporting, 2 July 2018 (70KB pdf)
• Monthly CAP 2017 Payment Reporting, 2 August 2018 (30KB pdf)
• Monthly CAP 2017 Payment Reporting, 6 September 2018 (23KB pdf)
• Monthly CAP 2017 Payment Reporting, 30 October 2018 (118KB pdf)
• Monthly CAP 2017 Payment Reporting, 31 December 2018 (202KB pdf)
• Monthly CAP 2017 Payment Reporting, 31 January 2019 (84 KB pdf)

Work by Other Committees

Public Audit and Post Legislative Scrutiny Committee has also been conducting scrutiny of the CAP IT system. Further information is available on the Committee’s website.

See joint correspondence below -

• Letter from NFU Scotland to the Public Audit and Post Legislative Scrutiny Committee regarding Common Agricultural Policy Futures Programme, 12 January 2017 (130KB pdf)
• Letter from the Scottish Government to the Public Audit and Post Legislative Scrutiny Committee regarding Common Agricultural Policy Futures Programme, 24 January 2017 (159KB pdf)
• Letter from the Committee and Public Audit and Post Legislative Scrutiny Committee to the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Connectivity regarding CAP Futures Programme, 21 March 2017 (116KB pdf)
• Letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Connectivity to the Committee and Public Audit and Post Legislative Scrutiny Committee regarding CAP Future updates, 29 March 2017 (145KB pdf)
• Letter from NFU Scotland to the Committee and Public Audit and Post Legislative Scrutiny Committee regarding the Committee’s work on the Scottish Government’s CAP Futures Programme, 29 March 2017 (81KB pdf)
• Letter from the Scottish Government to the Public Audit and Post Legislative Scrutiny Committee regarding an update on the Common Agricultural Policy: Futures Programme, 30 March 2017 (147KB pdf)
• Letter from the Scottish Government to the Public Audit and Post Legislative Scrutiny Committee regarding an update on the Common Agricultural Policy: Futures Programme, 3 May 2017 (152KB pdf)
• Letter from the Public Audit and Post Legislative Scrutiny Committee to the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Connectivity regarding the April 2017 progress update, 18 May 2017 (29KB pdf)
• Letter from the Scottish Government to the Public Audit and Post Legislative Scrutiny Committee regarding an update on the Common Agricultural Policy, 5 June 2017 (346KB pdf)
• Letter from the Scottish Government to the Public Audit and Post Legislative Scrutiny Committee regarding an update on the Common Agricultural Policy, 6 July 2017 (150KB pdf)
• Letter from the Scottish Government to the Public Audit and Post Legislative Scrutiny Committee regarding an update on the Common Agricultural Policy, 1 August 2017 (101KB pdf)
• Letter from the Scottish Government to the Public Audit and Post Legislative Scrutiny Committee regarding an update on the Common Agricultural Policy, 4 September 2017 (140KB pdf)
• Letter from the PAPLS Committee to Liz Ditchburn, Director General Economy regarding follow up points from the PAPLS Committee meeting on 7 September on the Auditor General's update report on CAP futures, 3 October 2017 (875KB pdf)
• Letter from Liz Ditchburn, Director General Economy to the PAPLS Committee regarding a response to the letter from PAPLS Committee on 3 October on follow up points from meeting on 7 September, 27 October 2017 (100KB pdf)
• Quaterly report from the Scottish Government to the PAPLS Committee, 2 February 2018 (435KB pdf)
• Quaterly report from the Scottish Government to the PAPLS Committee, 30 April 2018 (114KB pdf)
• Quaterly report from the Scottish Government to the PAPLS Committee, 2 July 2018 (106KB pdf)
• Quaterly report from the Scottish Government to the PAPLS Committee,  28 September 2018 (191KB pdf)
• Quaterly report from the Scottish Government to the PAPLS Committee, 7 January 2019 (192KB pdf)