Badenoch backing for EU guarantees call
Badenoch MSP Kate Forbes has backed the Scottish Government’s Rural Secretary Fergus Ewing in calling for EU funding guarantees to be extended by the UK government in the aftermath of the Brexit vote.
The call for extension comes after the UK government only guaranteed certain levels of expenditure over a certain time period – with the Scottish Government calling for the funding to be extended to cover at least £300 million of common agricultural and £60 million of maritime and fisheries funding.
“There is considerable doubt that this will be able to be agreed by the Autumn Statement for commitments running to 2020,” said Ms Forbes, Holyrood SNP member for Skye and Lochaber as well as Badenoch.
“European Union funding is vital to our rural communities and rural economy as a whole – and it is imperative that the UK government commits to maintaining current levels of investment that are under threat following Brexit.
“The subsidies help to support farmers and fishermen across the constituency, as well as boosting our rural economies as a whole by helping to create and sustain jobs in the area.
“The guarantees the UK government have made so far have removed some uncertainty, but they by no means go far enough.
“I am backing the Scottish Government’s call for Westminster to go further in its commitment and to guarantee the £360 million of funding that remains uncertain.
“The funding is vital for our rural communities in the Highlands and Islands and the Tory government must provide them with the clarity and certainty that rural Scotland desperately needs.”
