Rural Funding - Simplification Taskforce

Overview

We set out the overall aims and principals for the future for rural funding in the consultation document Stability and simplicity: proposals for rural funding. 

Its overall proposal is that support schemes will fundamentally stay largely the same. The Simplification Taskforce has been set up to explore ways of simplifying how the customer interacts with the Scottish Government’s Rural Payments and Inspections Division.

This taskforce is guided by an external panel which has direct experience of the current Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

The taskforce has focused on identifying priorities and considering the main consultation questions relating to simplification. Subgroups, including personnel from the Scottish Government, have since met to look at the following topics:

• interpretation of guidance
• mapping, including land inspections
• inspections (non-land) and penalties
• forestry grants

Members

Members of the taskforce are:

• Kirstin Williams, SAC
• Jennifer Brown, SAC
• David Lawrie, Farmer in Fife & SAYFC
• Jonnie Hall, NFUS
• Hamish Lean, Shepherd & Wedderburn
• Gail Watt, Morton Fraser
• Donald McKinnon, Scottish Crofting Federation
• Robert Fleming, Beef and Sheep Farmer
• Anne Rae Macdonald, Farmer
• Sion Williams, Buccleuch Estates
• Claudia Rowse, SNH
• Aimee Budge, Farmer
• Malcolm Morrison, Forestry expert

Publications