Chamber and committees

The following table summarises the rejected Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS) applications, specifically Improving Public Access (IPA), that have been appealed. It records the number of applications that were (a) upheld following appeal and (b) are awaiting a decision, in each year since 2015.

Please note that the 2020 round was not open to new applications, rather a one year’s extension was offered to all Management options that were due to end in 2020. Not all businesses accepted the offer. IPA is not a Management Option, it is capital only, and as such was not included in the round.

The 2021 round that closed at the beginning of July 2021 was also extended. These applications are still being assessed.

* Application type not included in Round

The following table summarises the number of Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS) applications received, applying specifically for Slurry Storage and of those how many were (a) were approved and (b) are awaiting a decision, in each year since 2015. The figures below exclude those applications that were submitted then subsequently withdrawn by the businesses concerned.

Please note that the 2015 round did not include a Slurry Store option and that the 2020 round was not open to new applications, rather a one year’s extension was offered to all Management options that were due to end in 2020. Not all businesses accepted the offer. Slurry Store is not a Management Option, it is capital only, and as such was not included in the round.

The 2021 round that closed at the beginning of July 2021 was also extended. These applications are still being assessed.

1Excludes those applications that were submitted then subsequently withdrawn by the businesses concerned.

* Application type not included in Round.

The following table summarises the number of Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS) applications received, applying specifically Improving Public Access (IPA), and of those how many were (a) were approved and (b) are awaiting a decision, in each year since 2015. The figures below exclude those applications that were submitted then subsequently withdrawn by the businesses concerned.

Please note that the 2020 round did not include the IPA option and that the 2019 round was not open to new applications, rather a one year’s extension was offered to all Management options that were due to end in 2020. Not all businesses accepted the offer. Improving Public Access is not a Management Option, it is capital only, and as such was not included in the round.

The 2021 round that closed at the beginning of July 2021 was also extended. These applications are still being assessed.

1Excludes those applications that were submitted then subsequently withdrawn by the businesses concerned.

* Application type not included in Round

The following table summarises the rejected Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS) applications, specifically Slurry Store, that have been appealed. It records the number of applications that were (a) upheld following appeal and (b) are awaiting a decision, in each year since 2015.

Please note that the 2015 round did not include a Slurry Store option and that the 2020 round was not open to new applications, rather a one year’s extension was offered to all Management options that were due to end in 2020. Not all businesses accepted the offer. Slurry Store is not a Management Option, it is capital only, and as such was not included in the round.

The 2021 round that closed at the beginning of July 2021 was also extended. These applications are still being assessed.

* Application type not included in Round

The following table summarises the rejected Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS) applications, specifically Organic Farming, that have been appealed. It records the number of applications that were (a) upheld following appeal and (b) are awaiting a decision, in each year since 2015.

Please note that the 2020 round was not open to new applications, rather a one year’s extension was offered to all Management options that were due to end in 2020. Not all businesses accepted the offer. 63 Organic applications were offered an extension with 55 applications accepting.

The 2021 round that closed at the beginning of July 2021 was also extended. These applications are still being assessed.

The following table summarises the number of Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS) applications received, applying specifically for Organic Farming options, and of those how many were (a) were approved and (b) are awaiting a decision, in each year since 2015. The figures below exclude those applications that were submitted then subsequently withdrawn by the businesses concerned.

Please note that the 2020 round was not open to new applications, rather a one year’s extension was offered to all Management options that were due to end in 2020. Not all businesses accepted the offer.

The 2021 round that closed at the beginning of July 2021 was also extended. These applications are still being assessed.

1Excludes those applications that were submitted then subsequently withdrawn by the businesses concerned.

The Scottish Government works closely with Ofgem and the network companies to ensure timely network investment adequate to support the transition to net zero across all sectors, including heat in buildings. In March this year the Scottish Government published a set of principles for the development of Scotland’s gas and electricity networks, developed in partnership with Ofgem and network companies. These principles can be found at https://www.gov.scot/publications/principles-development-scotlands-gas-electricity-networks/

We have set up a new Heat Electrification Strategic Partnership with the Scottish Distribution Network Operators and continue to work with them as they prepare to submit final business plans to Ofgem this December. Once approved, these plans would unlock over £3bn investment in local electricity networks to support decarbonisation of heat and transport over the period 2023- 2028.

We are working with local government towards ensuring Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategies are in place by the end of 2023 for all local authority areas, providing a strategic plan for network companies to draw on in targeting their investment.

The Scottish Government is already working with the UK Government across a number of policies to support delivery of low-carbon alternatives to gas boilers. This includes engagement in relation to the UK Government’s proposed market-based mechanism for low carbon heat. Further details on our work with the UK Government are set out in chapter 10 of our Heat in Buildings Strategy.

Scottish Government Heat in Buildings Strategy – https://www.gov.scot/publications/heat-buildings-strategy-achieving-net-zero-emissions-scotlands-buildings/

The Scottish Government has committed to invest at least £1.8 billion over the course of this parliament to support energy efficiency and zero emissions heat. Final spending to support households replacing gas boilers with heat pumps over this period will depend on various factors, including the balance of demand between households currently using gas boilers or other heating systems, and support for other technologies such as heat networks.

There is no formal right to request an appeal under the Rural Payments (Appeals) (Scotland) Regulation 2015 as these do not apply to the rejection of an application for a contract. If applicants query the reason for the rejection of an application then local staff will consider this informally but numbers of these are not recorded. The number of applications recorded as rejected in each Scheme year for the Crofting Agricultural Grant Scheme is provided in the following table for information.