Union President asks if Government is 'flogging a dead horse' by sticking with 'costly' IT system

President of NFU Scotland Andrew McCornick wrote on his online blog criticising the IT system
President of NFU Scotland Andrew McCornick wrote on his online blog criticising the IT system

If the Scottish Government's IT system for farm payments had been a tractor it would have been returned to the dealer a long time ago, the President of NFU Scotland has said.

On his blog, Andrew McCornick questioned whether the government is "flogging a dead horse" by sticking with its costly IT system for delivering CAP support.

Mr McCornick claimed that if the CAP futures IT system, installed at a cost to taxpayers of £180 million, had been a tractor, he would have returned it to the dealer long ago with a demand for "a full refund".

"Another year on and our farmers and crofters are still facing the same challenges from the Scottish Government’s IT system, set up to deliver support," writes NFU Scotland President Andrew McCornick

"We can all recognise that a massive amount of public money - at least £180 million – and a considerable amount of time and effort has gone into making it work.

Problems within the CAP Futures system have prevented payments for a number of more complex claims and anomaly cases
Problems within the CAP Futures system have prevented payments for a number of more complex claims and anomaly cases

"And I genuinely believe that Cabinet Secretary Fergus Ewing’s main priority is to get this sorted.

"However, as a farmer, had this been a tractor that I had bought, it would be getting presented back to the dealer with a demand for a full refund. Police Scotland seem to have managed this with their failed IT system.

"We are entering year three of submitting our SAFs into the system and I have no major issues in my own business with this part of the process.

"While the input side is working, it is what happens beyond that that is failing those that it is meant to serve."

'Step backwards, not forwards'

The President of NFU Scotland goes on to say that some claimants are receiving a further 10 per cent of their Basic Payment and Greening support this week and while that money is welcome, it means the IT system is now delivering these payments in three stages, rather than the two stage process seen in 2016.

He continued: "That is a step backwards, not forwards. Crucially, for our hill farmers and crofters, there remains no clear timetable when the system will be able to deliver Less Favoured Areas support, which directs £65 million into the rural economies of some of our more remote and vulnerable areas.

"All that continues to undermine attempts to build confidence in the system

"Scotland Food and Drink has launched Ambition 2030 with the challenge of growing the farming, food and drink sector to £30 billion a year in terms of what it delivers to Scotland’s economy with recognition that farm incomes will be used as a health check on its success.

"That is great news that we are now being recognised as an integral part of this ambition.

"However, as can be seen in the total income from farming figures, support remains fundamental to farming and crofting businesses, underpinning this primary resource to the food and drink sector.

"I think Scottish Government must reflect on Audit Scotland’s most recent report on the CAP Futures programme which questions if the system will ever be fit for purpose and get proper guidance on whether or not they are flogging a dead horse."