Programme for Government commitments to multiple Net Zero areas: FOI release

Information requested

Q1: I would like to know if the following 2023-24 PFG commitments have been met: Pay Scottish farmers and crofters £550 million, with payments beginning in September, including a fresh round of Agri-Environment Climate Scheme funding, to support actions to tackle climate change, cut emissions, and restore nature.

Q2: I would like to know if the following 2023-24 PFG commitments have been met:Increasing the uptake of carbon audits, soil testing and biodiversity audits, and funding to improve animal health.

Q3: I would like to know if the following 2023-24 PFG commitments have been met: Develop a gender strategy for agriculture and fund practical training opportunities for women, new entrants, and young farmers.

Q4: I would like to know if the following 2023-24 PFG commitments have been met: Support action to address emerging climate issues for land use, with roundtables … on decarbonising rural machinery and equipment.

Q5: I would like to know if the following 2023-24 PFG commitments have been met: Pilot a new aquaculture consenting process in two local authority areas to help deliver a more streamlined regime across Scotland.

Q6:  I would like to know if the following 2023-24 PFG commitments have been met: Reduce the risk of escapes from fish farms with a new Technical Standard for Scottish Finfish Aquaculture.

Q7: I would like to know if the following 2023-24 PFG commitments have been met: Planting at least 900 hectares of new trees on Scotland’s national forest.

Q8: I would like to know if the following 2023-24 PFG commitments have been met: Commencing the process to ban the sale of horticultural peat for domestic use.

Response

Q1: The 2023 payment strategy was delivered successfully with over £550m issuing to farmers and crofters in line with the published strategy and all payment targets were met. Payments in respect of Basic Payment Scheme and Greening started hitting farmers and crofters bank accounts from 12 September 2023.

Q2: The Preparing for Sustainable Farming scheme has provided financial support to farmers, crofters, and livestock keepers for 1325 carbon audits, 1880 soil analysis and 1638 animal health and welfare claims from the scheme being introduced in 2022 to date. Separately under a Scottish government funded contract, the Farm Advisory Service has supplied 2,362 carbon audits to date. NatureScot are continuing to trial their Biodiversity audit app and we have released the ability to create and edit habitats on our Rural Payment mapping service. The introduction of Whole Farm Plan requires farmers and crofters to perform two of the audits and plans that are part of the Whole Farm Plan by 15 May 2025, is expected to increase the number of carbon audits, soil analysis and biodiversity audits being performed during 2024.

Q3: Gender strategy - The development of a Gender Strategy for Agriculture is ongoing and Scottish Government remain committed to bringing it forward to both support our commitment to gender equality and ensure everyone in agriculture is empowered to access opportunities, realise their potential, and encourage business innovation. Scotland is internationally recognised for its women in agriculture policy and currently is part of the EU pan-European Grass Ceiling Project which gives women who are living and working in crofting areas, access to a Living Lab where they can test business ideas, network, and explore opportunities. The Project has been running for a year in partnership with the Scottish Crofting Federation, the Centre for Rural Enterprise at Newcastle University and liaising with countries across Europe.

Additionally, the First Minister’s National Advisory Council for Women and Girls (NACWG) recently published their first “Report of Phase Two” (https://www.generationequal.scot/app/uploads/2024/05/NACWG-Report-May-2024.pdf ) which outlines their findings and a number of calls to action for the Scottish Government. The work is supported by the Empowering Women Panel, a lived experience group.

Practical funding training - The Women in Agriculture Practical Training Fund provided training for women and girls aged 13+ supporting their personal development, providing practical skills and enhancing employment opportunities. In June 2023 Rural and Environment Science and Analytical Services Division (RESAS) published a Women in Agriculture Practical Training Fund 2021-2022: evaluation report covering the first two funding rounds. The evaluation found that the overall impact of the training fund has been positive enabling participants to gain practical skills, and increase their confidence.

New Entrants and Young Farmers - The Scottish Government funded a range of programmes to support practical skills development in new entrants and young farmers and crofters in 2023/24. This includes the Machinery Ring Land-based Pre-apprenticeship Programme, (https://www.bordersmachineryring.co.uk/pre-apprenticeship-scheme) which provides young people with practical training, a paid placement with a mentor business for 26 weeks, and a SQA Certificate of Work Readiness on completion. The Scottish Government also funds the Farm Advisory Service (FAS), which offers a range of advice for new entrants into the sector. Notably, this includes a bespoke mentoring service that connects new entrants with an experienced mentor, matched to the entrant’s
business needs. During 2023/24 the Cabinet Secretary launched the Next Generation Practical Training Fund Pilot. The Pilot, conceptualised and supported by members of the Farming Opportunities for New Entrants (FONE) Group, provided applicants with £500 of funding to apply for accredited training courses.

Q4: The roundtable on decarbonising rural machinery and equipment was delivered at SASA, Edinburgh, on 23 July 2024 and was hosted by Mr Fairlie MSP, Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity. It brought together a wide range of key stakeholders from relevant organisations, trade bodies, manufacturers, and forums in sectors ranging from agriculture, forestry, construction, marine, energy, and finance. We are currently considering the outputs of the roundtable.

Q5: Following the recommendations of the independent review of aquaculture consenting, accepted in principle by Scottish Government, the Consenting Task Group (CTG) was established to identify an efficient and effective aquaculture consenting process which maintains robust assessment of development proposals, but which coordinates and enables appropriately informed regulatory decisions to be made as quickly as possible.

Pilots launched in January 2024, delivering our 2023/24 Programme for Government commitment to ‘pilot a new aquaculture consenting process in two local authority areas to help deliver a more streamlined regime across Scotland’. Four pilots are currently underway, one in Shetland and three in Highland local authority areas. The pilots aim to test a new draft pre-application consenting process intended to minimise delays through streamlining and removing unnecessary duplication in the preapplication
process, and to provide developers with early understanding of potential constraints in the consenting system. More information on the Consenting Task Group and the new draft pre-application consenting process can be found here:
https:/www.gov.scot/groups/consenting-task-group/
https:/www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-aquaculture-council-draft-consenting-pilot-process/

Q6: In 2021 we published an Aquaculture Code of Good Practice (https:/www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/advice-andguidance/2021/09/aquaculture-code-practice-containment-prevention-escape-fish-fish-farms-relationmarine-
mammal-interactions-2/documents/aquaculture-code-practice-containment-prevention-escapefish-fish-farms-relation-marine-mammal-interactions/aquaculture-code-practice-containment-preventionescape-fish-fish-farms-relation-marine-mammal-interactions/govscot%3Adocument/aquaculture-codepractice-containment-prevention-escape-fish-fish-farms-relation-marine-mammal-interactions.pdf ) for the containment and prevention of escapes of fish on fish farms in relation to marine mammal interactions.
The Scottish Government is continuing to explore options to consider how best to deliver a new Technical Standard for Scottish Finfish Aquaculture. We remain committed to working with the sector to reduce the risk that fish escape from fish farms.

Q7: Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) can confirm that 900 hectares of new woodland was planted on Scotland’s national forests and land in the financial year 2023/2024. The latest Woodland Statistics can be located at this website: https://www.forestresearch.gov.uk/tools-and-resources/statistics/statistics-bytopic/woodland-statistics/

Q8: Yes – the process to ban the sale of horticultural peat has commenced. Our consultation on “Ending the Sale of Peat in Scotland” (https://www.gov.scot/publications/ending-sale-peat-scotlandconsultation/documents/ ) was released in February 2023 and an analysis of responses (https://www.gov.scot/publications/ending-sale-peat-scotland-analysis-consultation-responses/pages/11/) was published in December 2023. Several impact assessments have either been completed or are underway and officials are currently undertaking a series of stakeholder events to consolidate findings from the consultation and support policy development.”

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