The Scottish Government

The Rural Payments and Inspections Directorate is headed by Valerie Macniven and is responsible for administering a range of direct payment schemes to Scottish rural beneficiaries, worth around £581m annually. The EU European Agricultural Guarantee Fund (EAGF) and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) wholly or partly fund all the scheme payments to farmers, crofters, land managers and the wider rural community. The Scottish Government bears the costs of running the CAP schemes in Scotland.

Our Goal

• To work with Ministers, our delivery partners and other stakeholders to assist in the delivery of the Scottish Government's Purpose and Outcomes. As part of this delivery:
• To be an effective public face of Rural Affairs and provide the main points of contact with farmers, land managers and crofters;
• To implement and deliver grants, subsidies and other government policies to the agricultural industry;
• To develop and support Information Technology Systems for the delivery of the grants and subsidies;
• To provide professional agricultural, scientific and technical advice and information to Scottish Ministers, the general public and other colleagues in the Scottish Government.

Objectives

• To remain an EU Accredited Paying Agency
• To incur minimal disallowance of EU expenditure
• To meet our internal targets on inspections and on payments of grants and subsidies
• To demonstrate and apply sound and efficient administrative and financial controls at all stages in our processes
• To enforce EU and national regulations in a civil, courteous and professional manner in all our dealings with our customers and contribute to the furtherance of Scottish interests in the development of regulation.
• To ensure that everyone is working towards the same vision and can connect what they are doing to make the vision a reality
• To embrace continuous learning for our staff to ensure that they are fully equipped for the work they have to do
• To provide expert scientific and technical advice, information and services on agricultural and horticultural crops and aspects of the environment.
• To represent Scottish and, where appropriate, UK interests in national and international forums which call for scientific and technical input.