Convergence funds a ‘massive’ victory for the Scottish Conservatives

4 Sep 2019

The Scottish Conservatives have welcomed the £160 million of convergence funding for Scottish farmers that has been announced in the UK Spending Review today.

The funds have been the subject of a lengthy and concerted campaign from the Scottish Conservatives at Westminster to ensure that Scottish farmers received the money they were due.

The EU Multi Annual Financial Framework set out the aim of redistributing CAP payments more equitably across the EU based on average €/hectare. Under the framework, all countries receiving less than 90% of the EU average would receive a funding uplift.

As the Member State, the UK only qualified for an uplift because of Scotland, whose per hectare rate is only 45% of the EU average. England, Wales and Northern Ireland are all above the 90% qualifying threshold.

Peter Chapman, Scottish Conservative Shadow Rural Economy Secretary said:

“This is a massive victory for the Scottish Conservative campaign to get convergence funds to Scottish farmers.

“Once again this is evidence of Scottish Conservatives working with the UK Government to deliver for Scotland while the SNP complain from the sidelines.

“Months of patient lobbying have paid off, and hard working farmers will benefit to the tune of £160m.

“This money must now go directly to farmers, which, for some, will make a crucial difference to their future viability.”

David Mundell, Scottish Conservative MP for Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweedale said:

“These extra funds for Scottish farmers just show how Scottish Conservatives are making a difference at Westminster.

“We demanded a review, it recommended that Scottish farmers received the convergence funding and now that is being carried out.

“That is the Scottish Conservatives delivering for Scotland.”