Scottish Government

Shona Mulholland, Rory Hunter and David Primrose
George Street Research

Scottish Government Social Research
2008

ISBN 978 0 7559 7343 9 (Web only publication)

This document is also available in pdf format (480k)

CONTENTS

Acknowledgements

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Introduction
Respondents
Overview of responses
The future of Pillar 1 and Pillar 2
The CAP Health Check
Other comments

1 INTRODUCTION
Background
Respondents
Reporting and analysis
Factual accuracy
Interpretation of findings

2 RATIONALE FOR PILLAR 1 AND PILLAR 2 FROM 2014 ONWARDS
Link to agricultural activity
Provision of public goods
Viability
Planning for change
Distribution of funding

3 A MOVE TOWARDS FLAT-RATE PAYMENTS
Redistribution
Payments
MLURI land capability classifications
Timescales

4 CROSS-COMPLIANCE
Need to reduce complexity
Economic burden
Rules and penalties
Review needed
Concern over changes to SMRs
Other amendments to SMRs
Environmental benefits
Changes to GAEC
Other amendments to GAEC

5 ABOLITION OF SET-ASIDE
Use of Pillar 2 or other funding
Need to retain benefits from set-aside
Land in productive use
Implications for habitat and wildlife
Other issues

6 DECOUPLING
In favour of decoupling
Concerns over decoupling
Environmental benefits of grazing
Hill and upland farmers
Scottish Beef Calf Scheme ( SBCS)

7 NEW ENTRANTS
National Reserve
Funding
Concerns
Level of support
Genuine active farmers
Definition

8 PAYMENTS
Definitions
Flexibility
Payments

9 NATIONAL ENVELOPE
Concerns over the SBCS
Ceiling
Combination of measures
Less Favoured Areas ( LFA) and areas of High Nature Value ( HNV)
Other livestock
Other uses
Other comments

10 COMPULSORY MODULATION
Compulsory modulation
Progressive modulation
Environmental benefit and the SRDP

11 MINIMUM THRESHOLD
Minimum payment
Minimum size
Crofters and small businesses
Costs

12 MECHANISMS FOR INTERVENTION IN COMMODITY MARKETS

13 MILK QUOTAS

14 SMALL SUPPORT SCHEMES
ECS
PCP
Other issues

15 GENERAL COMMENTS

16 CONCLUSIONS
Pillar 1 and Pillar
The CAP Health Check
Other comments

Appendix 1: LIST OF ORGANISATIONS WHO RESPONDED

The views expressed in this report are those of the researcher and
do not necessarily represent those of the Department or Scottish Ministers.