Chamber and committees

You mentioned that you work closely with Gillian Martin, the acting cabinet secretary, to look at offshore and marine planning. Are there opportunities to continue to make sure that good collaboration takes place, so that any opportunities can be explored?

Tier 1 and tier 2 will get most of the funding, then tiers 3 and 4—how does it work?

Will we get further detail as it is prepared?

I just have a wee supplementary. You said that tiers 1, 2, 3 and 4 are not really a hierarchy. It is more like a sphere, and some of tier 1 might cross over into other support mechanisms such as those for biodiversity and sustainability. You cannae just pigeonhole every tier, because there is a lot of cross-portfolio work that needs to be taken into account. I see George Burgess nodding, so I assume that that is what it means—you cannae just pigeonhole each tier.

The SSI is about providing on-going stability and certainty up to 2030 while other programmes are being developed.

Thanks.

I am conscious of the time but, as the convener said, the portfolio is pretty wide and diverse. In the regulatory impact assessment, there is the payments framework, food and drink, climate and nature, genetics, animal health, welfare, forestry, knowledge, skills, innovation and training—there is loads.

I will focus on the tier 1 through tier 4 framework. We know that we have to balance food production and food security with biodiversity and environmental sustainability. We had evidence from the Scottish Agricultural Organisation Society about tier 3 and tier 4 not becoming the poor relation to tier 1 and tier 2. Can you give us some affirmation about tier 1 through tier 4 and that tier 3 and tier 4 will not be forgotten?

Thank you.

Thanks.

Our committee papers say:

“The policy note states the extension of SRDP would allow for a phased transition away from the SRDP over the coming years as post-Brexit Scottish agricultural policy comes into effect.”

Minister, you said that this will take us up to 2030. I am thinking about Rachael Hamilton’s comments about active farmers and attracting young farmers and new entrants by supporting them in our less favoured areas, including in my patch in south-west Scotland. At present, Government resources are involved in the work on future policy and active planning. Will the policy remain as it is up to 2030? Is there an opportunity to alter the proposals and allow the rebasing and retargeting of support to continue to support active farmers and, in particular, new entrant farmers?