A UK Government minister has refused to back down in a row over claims Westminster is withholding £190million in EU funding from Scottish farmers and crofters.
The coalition in London was accused yesterday of “insulting the intelligence” of farmers north of the border by claiming they were not losing out through the distribution of cash from Europe’s Cap.
The Scottish Government reacted angrily earlier this month when UK farming ministry Defra failed to transfer a £190million convergence uplift to Scotland.
This was extra money secured to top up Scotland’s per hectare direct support payments, but Defra shared it with England, Wales and Northern Ireland, all of which receive substantially more support per hectare than Scotland.
SNP, Labour and Liberal Democrat MPs formed an unlikely alliance yesterday as they attacked the move during a Commons’ debate. Defra minister George Eustice defended the decision, claiming Scotland had received a “series of wins” through the Cap settlement, but he agreed to meet Scottish ministers and farming leaders to discuss the concerns.
Eilidh Whiteford, SNP member for Banff and Buchan, secured the debate in Westminster Hall and led the attack on the coalition, saying Scotland had the lowest rural development allocation in the EU.
“There was a sense of disbelief in the Scottish farming community on November 8 when the UK Government announced that it had decided to split the convergence funding uplift four ways, rather than use it for its intended purpose. That disbelief has quickly turned to anger and a sense of betrayal.”
Alan Reid, Lib Dem MP for Argyll and Bute, also criticised the decision. “This uplift came to the UK because of Scotland, so surely that money should have gone to Scotland,” he added.
Mr Eustice said the uplift had been calculated on the basis of a UK average, and highlighted traditional lower payment levels in Scotland because of extensive moorland. He added that Scottish farmers had benefited overall from the Cap settlement.
The Conservative MP did agree to talks with Holyrood ministers, however.
Meanwhile, north-east Tory MSP Nanette Milne criticised the SNP’s “crocodile tears” over the decision last night. “One fact which we have not heard from Eilidh Whiteford or the SNP during their procrastinations is that it was SNP MPs at Westminster who voted for deeper cuts to EU funding than those which were being proposed.”
Ms Whiteford said last night it was “unhelpful” of Ms Milne to “try and play politics” on the issue.