Rural Affairs and Islands Committee 26 November 2025
I first give apologies for Alan Elder, who is unable to make this morning’s meeting due to a family incident.
I thank the committee for taking the time to consider the draft regulations. It is proposed that the regulations be made using the modified powers conferred by the Agriculture (Retained EU Law and Data) (Scotland) Act 2020, which enable us to improve the operation of the assimilated European Union law underpinning our common agricultural policy schemes, and powers under the direct payments EU regulation 1307/2013, which permit amendments to the requirements for ecological focus areas.
They will improve the provisions for ecological focus areas by requiring more businesses to undertake EFA activities as a condition of their greening payment, increasing the area of land managed for EFA and widening the options and choices available for those undertaking those activities.
We have committed to providing a replacement legacy Scottish rural development programme scheme, as is set out in the vision for agriculture and the agricultural reform route map and in the Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Act 2024. Greening support is required to be modified in order to align with the route map phased transition from legacy common agricultural policy schemes into the proposed new support framework. Without the changes made by the regulations, greening payments would be unable to support the commitment to tier 2 support that is set out in the route map.
The regulations will also improve the operation of the provisions for the Scottish suckler beef support scheme by introducing a derogation from the calving interval requirements for smaller businesses, in response to concerns raised by smaller producers and the Scottish Crofting Federation. They will also extend the end of the application submission period, to allow submissions to be made up to 14 January following the end of the relevant calendar year, which will make it easier for applications to be submitted in time.
The regulations mark a significant point in our progress towards our aim of becoming a world leader in sustainable and regenerative agriculture, and they deliver on our previous commitments. We got here by co-developing in detail with partners, and I fully endorse that approach. The Government, this Parliament and rural partners all support the vision for agriculture. Getting there means working together and agreeing together to longer-term planning and development.
Failure to bring the regulations into force would undermine progress and the efforts and work of many of our farmers and crofters who are already committed to making those improvements.
I am happy to take any questions.