Parliament 'Must Investigate Squeeze on Environment Cash'
Fri., August 29, 2003. 00:00.
The Scottish Parliament should be allowed to scrutinise the Scottish Executive's plans for Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform, which will have a lasting effect on the environment and economy, Green MSP Mark Ruskell said today.
Mr Ruskell also wants environment minister Ross Finnie to use his mid-term review of CAP to shift more subsidies away from production and into environment funding.
The Scottish Parliament should be allowed to scrutinise the Scottish Executive's plans for Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform, which will have a lasting effect on the environment and economy, Green MSP Mark Ruskell said today.
Mr Ruskell also wants environment minister Ross Finnie to use his mid-term review of CAP to shift more subsidies away from production and into environment funding.
Mr Ruskell, the Greens' speaker on environment and rural development, was critical of the competitive nature of schemes such as the Rural Stewardship Scheme (RSS) and support for organic farmers, which he said were complementary and so should not compete for money from the same budget.
'I am concerned that there is increasing pressure on agri-environment funds due to increasing rates for organic farmers and more applicants to the RSS,' said Mr Ruskell, who represents mid-Scotland and Fife. 'The Executive's recent announcements to boost organic farming and habitat restoration on farms are worthy but they are still playing around on the margins. The problem is that the pot of money allocated for environment is so small that there will inevitably be competition between the different schemes.
'Finnie and SEERAD need to grasp the nettle of CAP reform and ensure that we fundamentally shift subsidies away from production and blind farm support into ensuring farmers are paid for actually delivering protection and restoration of our landscape and environment.
'There must be a full opportunity for the Parliament to scrutinise the Executive's plans under CAP reform, which will have a lasting effect on the environment and economy of rural Scotland.'
Mr Ruskell will seek farmers' views when he visits the Breadalbane ESA near Aberfeldy today. He and other MSPs will meet environmental organisations to canvas their views on the scheme.
Mr Ruskell had some praise for Mr Finnie's announcement that ESA applicants will get access to the RSS when their current contracts come to an end.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, contact Jill Boulton at the Green MSPs' press office
on 0131 348 6360 / 07919 210 126.
Contact the Scottish Greens' press team on 07909 933 074.