Question reference: S2W-05209
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
- Date lodged: 5 January 2004
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Current status: Answered by Ross Finnie on 14 January 2004
Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action has been taken to ensure that the general public, in addition to farmers and crofters, is encouraged and enabled to contribute to the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform consultation process.
Answer
The Scottish Executive has undertaken a wide-ranging consultation exercise to encourage debateon CAP reform. The Executive launched the three-month consultation with a conferencein Edinburgh on 6 October. The consultation paper was sent to awide range of stakeholders, including representatives of civic society. Theconsultation paper, along with background information and supporting analysis,is publicly available on the Scottish Executive website: Twelve public meetings havebeen held throughout Scotland to provide information on the CAP reform agreementand the consultation process. These were advertised nationally and locally, andwere open to the general public. A series of regionalstakeholder discussion groups have also taken place, with numbers kept ataround 20 people representing a cross-section of regional interests. Thesemeetings were organised on behalf of the Scottish Executive by rural partnerships andcommunity planning partnerships, and participants included representatives fromvoluntary organisations.