THE UK Government decision to split extra European cash for farmers is "a slap in the face for Scottish agriculture", according to the Rural Affairs Secretary.

Richard Lochhead hit out at the decision to divide funding of £190 million between the four nations of the UK, instead of giving it all to Scotland.

Mr Lochhead argued the UK received the money only because of the low levels of payment Scotland receives from elsewhere in the common agricultural policy.

Labour, Tories and the Liberal Democrats at Holyrood joined Mr Lochhead in urging UK Rural Affairs Secretary Owen Paterson to give all the additional money - known as the "convergence uplift" - to Scotland.

Mr Lochhead said Scotland will receive just 16% of the funds. He said: "If it were not for Scotland, there would be no uplift for the UK. So in the interests of justice, 100% of the UK's convergence uplift should come to Scotland."

The decision not to allocate all the funds to Scotland "goes against the intentions of the EU, against the wishes of this Parliament and it takes away from Scottish farmers and crofters resources on which their livelihoods depend".

The three main Holyrood opposition parties said they are disappointed that the cash was not given to Scotland in its entirety.