Hansard

The Presiding Officer (Tricia Marwick) NPA

Good afternoon. The first item of business is a debate on motion S4M-07892, in the name of Richard Lochhead, on the common agricultural policy.

The Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment (Richard Lochhead) SNP

The debate on the common agricultural policy for 2014 to 2020 provides an opportunity for the Government to update Parliament on the state of play in the Eur...

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Lab

Has the cabinet secretary approached the UK Government to discuss the possibility of calculating the 8 per cent on the UK’s share rather than just the Scotti...

Richard Lochhead SNP

Yes we have, and I will talk about that now because this is a key area for Scotland.Unfortunately, our negotiator, Owen Paterson, did not want any coupled su...

Liam McArthur (Orkney Islands) (LD) LD

We have heard a lot about the UK Government not batting for Scotland. As I recall, the cabinet secretary was demanding an increase in the budget at the same ...

Richard Lochhead SNP

I am sure that the member is aware that only 38 per cent of the Europe budget is for CAP. That is one area in which Scotland gets an extremely raw deal. We d...

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Lab

This is an opportune time to have a CAP debate, and we should not miss the opportunity to discuss the key issues. I welcome the cabinet secretary’s press rel...

Richard Lochhead SNP

The figures that Claire Baker has read out illustrate why we have to move from the historical basis for payments to a new basis for payments. That is why we ...

Claire Baker Lab

I accept that that is the formula that is used, but the story behind it is much more complex. It is not just about providing a fairer formula throughout the ...

The Minister for Environment and Climate Change (Paul Wheelhouse) SNP

I hope that Claire Baker acknowledges that, if we were an independent member state in our own right, we would have benefited from the new formula in terms of...

Claire Baker Lab

That is not the situation that we face. The SNP proposes that we go into the EU as a new member state and there are concerns about the negotiations that woul...

Alex Fergusson (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con) Con

This is a debate on which I wish it were possible for the Parliament to speak with one voice. We have often managed to do so on this topic in the past, but I...

Tavish Scott (Shetland Islands) (LD) LD

I draw members’ attention to my declaration of interests.I spent last Saturday—as many of us do at this time of the year—at my local mart, in Lerwick. I hear...

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Elaine Smith) Lab

We turn to the open debate. Can I have speeches of six minutes, please?15:11

Rob Gibson (Caithness, Sutherland and Ross) (SNP) SNP

There have been some suggestions that we would be better not having a fragmented approach, but the motion and the amendments show that the fragmentation come...

Alex Fergusson Con

Will Rob Gibson take a brief intervention?

Rob Gibson SNP

I have hardly started, but I will.

Alex Fergusson Con

It is better to take interventions early.If what Mr Gibson said about the budget deal is the case, why did the cabinet secretary describe the deal that came ...

Rob Gibson SNP

The cabinet secretary was talking about the bits that we got into the deal in relation to dealing with active farming, the Scottish clause and so on—that is ...

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab) Lab

President Dwight Eisenhower famously said:“Farming looks mighty easy when your plow is a pencil, and you’re a thousand miles from the corn field.”It is of co...

The Deputy Presiding Officer Lab

I call Angus MacDonald, to be followed by Graeme Dey. We have a small amount of time in hand for interventions.15:23

Angus MacDonald (Falkirk East) (SNP) SNP

As we have heard from the cabinet secretary, the long-drawn-out saga of CAP reform is finally reaching a close, with a vote in the European Parliament in mid...

Claire Baker Lab

Will the member take an intervention?

Angus MacDonald SNP

Sorry. I have a lot to get into my six minutes.Ireland gets €70 per hectare, Finland gets €138 and the Czech Republic gets €83.With friends like the UK Gover...

The Deputy Presiding Officer Lab

There is a bit of extra time for members who want to take interventions.15:29

Graeme Dey (Angus South) (SNP) SNP

I begin my speech by focusing on pillar 2 and how, from a greatly reduced funding pot, it will be made to work to deliver for rural Scotland. By rural Scotla...

David Stewart Lab

I strongly support the point that the member is making about rural development, but does he share my view that a maximum modulation of 15 per cent from pilla...

Graeme Dey SNP

I think that there is a balance to be struck in that regard.Within that figure will be people who commute to towns and cities to earn their living but, given...

Jayne Baxter (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Lab

It does not seem so long ago that we were gathered here to discuss the common agricultural policy reform proposals, but it has in fact been more than six mon...

Nigel Don (Angus North and Mearns) (SNP) SNP

I will start by looking at the Scottish Government’s objectives in the CAP process. As the cabinet secretary has already alluded to, those are to continue to...