A POST-BREXIT deal for Scottish farmers that would see subsidies kept in place and red tape slashed over a five year transition period has been unveiled.
Fergus Ewing, Scotland’s rural affairs secretary, made the announcement as he also proposed simplifying the payment system and dropping penalties for minor errors on forms or records.
The plans go further than the UK Government, which has said all subsidies provided by the EU will continue until the end of the current parliamentary term in 2022.
In a statement at Holyrood, Mr Ewing said: "Since the EU referendum almost two years ago the UK Government has provided little clarity and almost no certainty.
"With less than two years to go to a Brexit that Scotland neither voted for nor wants, we cannot wait any longer.
"Rural Scotland needs and deserves as much security and stability as can be provided in the short term and today I have published a plan to help achieve that."
The five-year transition period would see subsidies and other rules remaining as they are until March 2021, before changes aimed at cutting back on bureaucracy are introduced over the following three years.
Mr Ewing said the farm payments system would be simplified, while a cap for direct payments could also be introduced, with options ranging from £25,000 to £200,000.
He said Scottish ministers will now consult on options, and pledged “all ideas and proposals will be explored as part of the wider civic conversation”.
Andrew McCornick, the president of the Scottish National Farmers Union, said plans to simplify the process and address inspection and penalty issues would be “music to the ears of farmers and crofters”.
But opposition politicians criticised the Scottish Government for "dithering" – insisting ministers had been urged to outline their proposals more than a year ago.
Scottish Liberal Democrat rural affairs spokesperson Mike Rumbles MSP said: “Eighteen months ago the Scottish Parliament unanimously, on a Liberal Democrat amendment, told the Cabinet Secretary to start this process.
“We have lost a year and a half, why has it taken him so long?”
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