The new entrants measure is one of a wide range of measures within the Scotland Rural Development Programme and we have flexibility to re-profile expenditure under the programme as it is taken forward. Funding across all these measures will be closely monitored by the Scottish Government along with industry stakeholders. If the new entrants measure became oversubscribed, it would therefore be open to us to reallocate spending in line with demand for that measure.

New entrants apply for this support as part of the Rural Development Contacts - Rural Priorities scheme under the Scotland Rural Development Programme.

Applications are made online and applicants must first of all of all obtain a business reference number (BRN) and a government gateway password to be able to access the application system.

Rural priorities has a two stage application process. The first stage, statement of intent, requires applicants to provide an initial outline of their project/application, at which point they will be assigned a case officer who will provide them with feedback on how to take their project forward.

The second, proposal, stage requires applicants to provide more details about the business and how the funding will be used, along with supporting documentation such as a business plan and proof of status as a new entrant.

Full guidance about the scheme, including details of eligibility criteria and how to apply, can be found on the Scottish Government website at www.scotland.gov.uk/srdp.

Funding for new entrants is available under the Rural Development Contracts - Rural Priorities scheme “ part of the Scotland Rural Development Programme. Under this scheme, there is a specific option aimed at helping young farmers who are starting a farming business for the first time to develop the business in the critical early stages. It provides interest rate relief of up to £27,397 on a commercial business development loan.

This may be used to fund, for example:

the purchase of equipment or machinery;

the construction or development of buildings and infrastructure, and

the provision of working capital.

This can be for the core agricultural business or for a diversification opportunity. The support cannot be used in relation to a loan for the purchase of land or livestock.

New entrants are also eligible to apply for many of the other options available under the rural priorities scheme, a number of which offer a 10% premium on grant levels for new entrants.

Full details on the rural priorities scheme, including funding for new entrants, can be found on the Scottish Government website at www.scotland.gov.uk/srdp.

The Scottish Government wrote to the following fox destruction clubs in the Highlands and Islands:

Appin Fox Club	Argyll
Ardchattan Vermin Control Society	Argyll
Atholl and Breadalbane Fox Control Society	Argyll
Cowal Fox Control Association	Argyll
Craignish and District Fox Control Club	Argyll
South Lorn Fox Control Club	Argyll
Kintyre Fox Hunting Society	Campbeltown
Lochaber and Sunart Fox Society	Fort William
Brae Lochaber Fox Club	Inverness
Three Straths Fox Control Association	Inverness
Glen Fox Club	Isle of Skye
Minginish Fox Club	Isle of Skye
Trotternish Fox Club	Isle of Skye
Aultbea and District Fox Control Club	Ross
Gairloch & Inverasdale Fox Control Club	Ross
Glenelg and District Fox Control Club	Ross
Durness Fox Club	Sutherland
Tongue Fox Club	Sutherland
Lochbroom Fox Club	Wester Ross

 

I have already committed to continue funding for the scheme for the 2008-09 season and I will be examining the scope for continuing support for future years. I expect to be able to make an announcement on this in due course.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-17002 on 21 October 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

The Scottish Government has considered representations made in response to the letter issued to fox destruction clubs in May 2008.

I have already committed to continue funding for the scheme for the 2008-09 season and I will be examining the scope for continuing support for future years. I expect to be able to make an announcement on this in due course.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-17002 on 21 October 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Enforcement is the responsibility of the local licensing boards and the relevant police forces under various powers in the Licensing (Scotland) Act 1976.

We are also implementing the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 to the timetable set out by the last administration, which will update the licensing regime and offers new tools for more effective enforcement.

One example we have already put in place is the roll-out of test purchasing across all Scottish police forces, and we are pleased to note that many local authorities have already appointed Licensing Standards Officers who will play an instrumental part in ensuring licence holders adhere to the conditions of their licence.

We wrote to each of the 22 recognised fox destruction clubs in May 2008 to inform them of the likelihood that funding to support their activities would no longer be available after spring 2008. We received only one response to this letter.

The Scottish Government currently provides financial assistance to fox destruction clubs by paying 50% of the costs incurred by the organisations recognised by the scheme. This scheme was established to assist in controlling the predation of lambs by foxes and has been operating since 1978. The scheme in its present form has been operating since 1 April 1998 and aims to encourage land owners and occupiers of land to take co-operative action to control fox populations for this purpose. The Scottish Government has been reviewing the case for continuation of this support given the wide range of opportunities available to land managers for securing support under the Scotland Rural Development Programme.