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Publication - Corporate report

Scottish Budget: 2024 to 2025

Published
19 December 2023
From
Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Gaelic, +3 more … Chief Financial Officer, Director of Tax, Director-General Scottish Exchequer
Directorate
Public Spending Directorate, +1 more … Tax Directorate
Topic
Economy, Money and tax, Scottish Budget
ISBN
9781835218129

The Scottish Budget sets out the Scottish Government’s proposed spending and tax plans for 2024 to 2025, as presented to the Scottish Parliament.

View supporting documents Supporting documents

Annex A.8 – Rural Affairs, Land Reform & Islands

Portfolio Responsibilities

Rural Affairs, Land Reform & Islands supports Scotland’s agriculture, forestry, fishing and aquaculture sectors, the food and drink sector, land reform, and promotes the protection and restoration of our land and seas, particularly peatland.

The portfolio’s responsibilities are diverse, and include farming and food production, animal and plant health and welfare, rural and island communities, land reform, food and drink, crofting, forestry, peatland, natural capital, fishing and aquaculture. It has a critical role to support some of our most fragile rural, coastal and islands communities, enabling them to thrive and prevent depopulation.

Rural Affairs, Land Reform & Islands’ funding will ensure Scotland’s rural and blue economies are supported to become more sustainable, productive and prosperous, as well as driving forward work to protect and restore nature, to mitigate and adapt to climate change, and empower communities.

Scotland’s agriculture, forestry, fishing and aquaculture sectors play a vital role in our economy and are at the heart of our rural, coastal and island communities. We will continue the Agricultural Reform Programme and work collaboratively to further develop the future rural support framework. Our Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture research programme will continue to provide the evidence base to support policy development and effective delivery. Sustainability will be central to our approach, working to transform future farming activity, deliver our Blue Economy Vision, Fisheries Management Strategy and Vision for Sustainable Aquaculture, and invest in peatland restoration, woodland creation and forest management.

Scotland’s first ever Good Food Nation plan sets out the main outcomes to be achieved on food-related issues, to support our food and drink sector.

We will support rural and island communities through the National Development Plan for Crofting, and legislate to enhance wildlife management and manage muirburn; to create a future framework to support agriculture and rural communities and on land reform to improve transparency of land ownership and empower communities to own land and direct how it is used. Recommendations from the land-based learning review will be used to help create employment and skills opportunities. We will continue to support six Scottish islands to become carbon neutral by 2040, and use this to advise all other Scottish islands. We will manage and restore more peatland, create more – and enhance – existing woodlands and forests, and protect wildlife and plant life.

The spending plans for 2024-25 will optimise how we use Scotland’s land and seas to produce food sustainably, help tackle climate change, provide green jobs and protect nature.

Rural Affairs, Land Reform & Islands intended contributions to the National Outcomes

Primary National Outcomes

  • Environment
  • Communities
  • Economy
  • Fair Work and Business

Secondary National Outcomes

  • Children and Young People
  • Education
  • Human Rights
  • Fair Work and Business
  • Poverty
  • International
  • Culture
  • Health

For further information on the purposes of the portfolio budget, and contributions to national outcomes (including impacts of spend on equality of outcome) please refer to the relevant portfolio annex in the published Equality and Fairer Scotland Budget Statement.

Rural Affairs, Land Reform & Islands

Table A8.01: Spending Plans (Level 2)
Level 2 2022-23 Budget £m 2023-24 Budget £m 2024-25 Budget £m
Agricultural Support and Related 755.0 738.9 705.7
Rural Services 53.3 58.4 59.3
Marine Funding 20.4 17.1 15.0
Marine 72.2 82.8 78.0
Islands 8.3 8.5 6.7
Land Reform 13.5 15.1 11.6
Scottish Forestry 90.9 103.7 70.1
Forestry and Land Scotland 27.2 23.8 27.8
Natural Resources and Peatland 28.4 32.3 31.4
Research Analysis and Other Services 86.5 90.3 87.0
Total Rural Affairs, Land Reform & Islands 1,155.8 1,171.0 1,092.6
of which
Total Fiscal Resource 925.2 939.7 915.6
of which Operating Costs 130.8 139.9 139.7
Non-cash 13.7 15.5 26.7
Capital 215.9 215.7 150.3
Financial Transactions (FTs) 1.0 – –
UK Funded AME – – –

Presentational Adjustments for Scottish Parliament Approval

Level 2 2022-23 Budget £m 2023-24 Budget £m 2024-25 Budget £m
Crofting Commission (0.1) (0.1) (0.1)
Animal License Fees 0.1 0.1 0.1
Royal Botanical Gardens (NDPB Non-cash) (2.5) (3.4) (3.5)
Total Rural Affairs, Land Reform & Islands 1,153.3 1,167.6 1,089.1
Total Limit on Income (accruing resources) 300.0
Table A8.02: Agricultural Support & Related Spending Plans (Level 3)
Level 3 2022-23 Budget £m 2023-24 Budget £m 2024-25 Budget £m
Pillar 1 – Basic payments 282.0 282.0 282.0
Pillar 1 – Greening payments 142.0 142.0 142.0
Pillar 1 – Other payments 61.0 61.0 50.7
Convergence Funding 25.7 – –
Agricultural Transformation 5.0 5.0 3.0
Technical Assistance 4.5 1.0 1.0
Agri Environment Measures 35.8 35.8 29.6
Business Development 26.0 13.1 10.3
Crofting Assistance 0.8 1.9 2.1
EU Income (2.5) – –
Forestry 0.1 0.1 0.1
Less Favoured Area Support Scheme 65.5 65.5 65.5
ARE Operations 89.2 91.8 102.4
Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture – 0.7 –
Agricultural Reform Programme 20.0 39.0 17.0
Total Agricultural Support & Related 755.0 738.9 705.7
of which
Total Fiscal Resource 696.8 693.8 675.7
Non-cash 4.9 5.0 16.2
Capital 53.3 40.1 13.8
Financial Transactions (FTs) – – –
UK Funded AME – – –
Table A8.03: Rural Services Spending Plans (Level 3)
Level 3 2022-23 Budget £m 2023-24 Budget £m 2024-25 Budget £m
Agricultural & Horticultural Advice & Support 2.2 2.2 2.2
Animal Health 19.6 25.6 24.7
Crofting Commission 4.0 4.2 4.6
Food Industry Support 9.6 8.4 9.6
Community Led Local Delivery 11.6 11.6 12.2
Rural Economy and Communities 1.4 1.5 1.2
Veterinary Surveillance 4.9 4.9 4.8
Total Rural Services 53.3 58.4 59.3
of which
Total Fiscal Resource 49.4 58.4 59.2
Non-cash 0.1 0.1 0.1
Capital 3.8 – –
Financial Transactions (FTs) – – –
UK Funded AME – – –
Table A8.04: Marine Funding Spending Plans (Level 3)
Level 3 2022-23 Budget £m 2023-24 Budget £m 2024-25 Budget £m
EU Fisheries Grants 14.1 5.2 –
Fisheries Harbour Grant 1.0 1.0 0.5
Marine Fund Scotland 14.5 14.5 14.5
Marine EU Income (9.2) (3.6) –
Total Marine Funding 20.4 17.1 15.0
of which
Total Fiscal Resource 16.0 5.0 6.5
Non-cash – – –
Capital 4.4 12.1 8.5
Financial Transactions (FTs) – – –
UK Funded AME – – –
Table A8.05: Marine Spending Plans (Level 3)
Level 3 2022-23 Budget £m 2023-24 Budget £m 2024-25 Budget £m
Marine Directorate 72.2 82.8 78.0
Total Marine Directorate 72.2 82.8 78.0
of which
Total Fiscal Resource 58.1 69.1 64.6
Non-cash 5.1 5.7 6.1
Capital 9.1 8.0 7.3
Financial Transactions (FTs) – – –
UK Funded AME – – –
Table A8.06: Islands Spending Plans (Level 3)
Level 3 2022-23 Budget £m 2023-24 Budget £m 2024-25 Budget £m
Carbon Neutral Islands 3.0 3.0 2.2
Islands Bonds 0.3 – –
Islands Plan 5.0 5.5 4.5
Total Islands 8.3 8.5 6.7
of which
Total Fiscal Resource 3.0 3.5 2.4
Non-cash – – –
Capital 5.3 5.0 4.3
Financial Transactions (FTs) – – –
UK Funded AME – – –
Table A8.07 Land Reform Spending Plans (Level 3)
Level 3 2022-23 Budget £m 2023-24 Budget £m 2024-25 Budget £m
Land Reform 12.0 13.6 10.0
Scottish Land Commission 1.6 1.5 1.6
Total Land Reform 13.5 15.1 11.6
of which
Fiscal Resource 5.5 7.7 6.6
Non-cash – – –
Capital 8.0 7.4 5.0
Financial Transactions (FTs) – – –
UK Funded AME – – –
Table A8.08 Scottish Forestry Spending Plans (Level 3)
Level 3 2022-23 Budget £m 2023-24 Budget £m 2024-25 Budget £m
Programme and Running Costs 19.5 21.2 19.9
Depreciation 0.7 0.9 0.6
Woodland Grants 69.5 77.2 45.4
Forest Research (Cross Border Services) 4.5 4.5 4.3
EC Receipts (3.2) – –
Total Scottish Forestry 90.9 103.7 70.1
of which
Fiscal Resource 38.9 45.8 42.5
Non-cash 0.7 0.9 0.6
Capital 50.4 57.0 27.0
Financial Transactions (FTs) 1.0 – –
UK Funded AME – – –
Table A8.09 Forestry & Land Scotland Spending Plans (Level 3)
Level 3 2022-23 Budget £m 2023-24 Budget £m 2024-25 Budget £m
Forestry and Land Scotland Resource 16.7 12.2 15.6
Forestry and Land Scotland Capital 10.5 11.6 12.2
Total Forestry & Land Scotland 27.2 23.8 27.8
of which
Fiscal Resource 16.7 12.2 15.6
Non-cash – – –
Capital 10.5 11.6 12.2
Financial Transactions (FTs) – – –
UK Funded AME – – –
Table A8.10 Natural Resources & Peatland Spending Plans (Level 3)
Level 3 2022-23 Budget £m 2023-24 Budget £m 2024-25 Budget £m
Natural Resources and Peatland 28.4 32.3 31.4
Total Natural Resources & Peatland 28.4 32.3 31.4
of which
Fiscal Resource 5.8 8.9 8.0
Non-cash – – –
Capital 22.6 23.4 23.4
Financial Transactions (FTs) – – –
UK Funded AME – – –
Table A8.11 Research, Analysis & Other Spending Plans (Level 3)
Level 3 2022-23 Budget £m 2023-24 Budget £m 2024-25 Budget £m
Economic and Other Surveys 4.3 3.8 3.7
Programmes of Research 49.9 48.4 47.7
Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh 28.7 33.8 32.0
Strategic Policy, Research and Sponsorship 3.6 4.3 3.6
Total Research, Analysis & Other Services 86.5 90.3 87.0
of which
Fiscal Resource 35.1 35.4 34.5
Non-cash 2.9 3.8 3.7
Capital 48.5 51.1 48.8
Financial Transactions (FTs) – – –
UK Funded AME – – –

Contact

Email: ScottishBudget@gov.scot

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