Chamber and committees

Might that be part of your consideration?

Would it be in the next five years?

Just on a point of clarification, 70 per cent of payments will be basic payments delivered in tiers 1 and 2, but that 70 per cent will remain basic payments. None of that money will be transferred to tier 4; however, some payments will be drawn down only when certain conditions are met. Is that right?

Thank you, minister. Are there any questions?

I thank the cabinet secretary and her supporting act. We very much appreciate the time that you have given this morning in what has been a long session.

I suspend the meeting for approximately 10 minutes to allow for a changeover of witnesses and a comfort break.

Is the committee content to delegate authority to me to sign off a report on the instrument?

Members indicated agreement.

That completes our consideration of the instrument. I will pause briefly to allow for a changeover of witnesses.

I have a list of members who want to come in—I have registered the interest of all of them.

Before we go any further, I think that we need to put the discussion into context. The Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee has suggested that

“under regulation 2(4) the instrument keeps the rate of payments under the Less Favoured Area Support Scheme at the current rate (which is the rate that applied in 2018) until 2030.”

Is that the case or not, minister?

Just to get this on the record—this is a question for you, minister—do you agree with the DPLR Committee that the instrument keeps the rate of payment the same as that applied in 2018? Is that your understanding?