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CHAPTER 11: DESIGNATION OF COMPETENT AUTHORITIES AND BODIES RESPONSIBLE

This chapter describes the delivery of the 2007-2013 Scotland Rural Development Programme ( SRDP).

11.1 Managing Authority

Under Article 74(2) of 1698/2005, the Scottish Executive is the Managing Authority for the 2007-13 SRDP. The Scottish Executive is responsible for all the tasks specified in Article 6 of the CAP Financing Regulation (1290/2005). Responsibility for claiming the Community reimbursement will rest (as at present) with the Rural Payments Agency ( RPA) in England which is affiliated to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). However, overall responsibility for the legality and regularity of all rural development transactions will reside with the Scottish Executive.

The contact details for the Managing Authority are as follows:

Tel: ++44 (0)131 244 6032
Fax: ++44 (0)131 244 6511
E-mail: peter.russell@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

11.2 Accredited Paying Agency

The Scottish Executive is the Paying Agency designated by the Member State in accordance with Article 6(2) of Council Regulation ( EC) No 1290/2005 for making payments under the 2007-13 SRDP. It will operate as the single Paying Agency for support delivered under Axis 1, Axis 2 and Axis 3. The contact details for the Paying Agency are as follows:

Tel: ++44(0)131 244 6029
Fax: ++44(0)131 244 6277
E-mail: andy.robb@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

11.3 UK Co-ordinating Body

The UK Co-ordinating Body is designated by the Member State in accordance with Article 6(3) of Council Regulation ( EC) No 1290/2005 and will be responsible for collating the information to be made available to the Commission, sending that information and promoting harmonised application of community rules. The contact details for the Co-ordinating Body are as follows:

Tel: ++44 (0)118 953 1790
Fax:++44 (0)118 953 1929
E-mail: Michael.Cooper@rpa.gsi.gov.uk

11.4 Certification Body

The National Audit Office is the Certification Body designated by the Member State in accordance with Article 7 of Council Regulation ( EC) No 1290/2005 to certify the truthfulness, completeness and accuracy of the accounts of the Accredited Paying Agency. The contact details of the Certification Body are as follows:

Tel: ++44 (0)20 7798 7000
Fax: ++44 (0)20 7798 7070
E-mail: Helen.Dixon@nao.gsi.gov.uk

11.5 Summary of Management and Control Structure

As Managing Authority, the Scottish Executive will be responsible for the delivery of Axis 1, Axis 2 and Axis 3 measures, including:

• contracting the aid with the beneficiary;
• controlling its implementation; and,
• paying the public aid from its own budget.

However, the Scottish Executive will exercise this role through a co-operative approach with other Directorates and agencies that have a stake in the SRDP.

As indicated in Chapter 4, a regional structure will be used to determine priorities for the Tier 3 of RDCs and to assess applications for funding. This structure is shown in Figure 11.1. Regional Project Assessment Committees ( RPACs) will be set up and will comprise staff from the Scottish Executive, its agencies and other relevant organisations, including the local enterprise network. The RPACs will be set up to mirror the regions of the On the Ground initiative and their role will be to set regional priorities and assess applications for suitability for funding against these priorities. There will also be a National Project Assessment Committee ( NPAC) to provide a strategic overview of the implementation of the SRDP and to provide guidance to the regions if necessary to ensure that strategic needs are addressed. The national committee may also assess very large, complex or inter-regional applications for support.

Assessment of applications for funding by RPACs will consider how proposals contribute to policy outcomes (including both the quantity and quality of outcomes, integration, innovation, and collaboration), how they deliver value for money and additionality, and whether they present any risks ( e.g. to other outcomes). The inclusion on RPACs of staff from a wide range of government agencies will facilitate an integrated and holistic approach to the assessment of applications and will encourage a cross-Axis perspective. For LEADER projects, Local Action Groups will determine priorities and assess and select applications to receive funding. This approach builds on the experience gained during the 2000-06 programming period.

Figure 11.1 Regional Structure for administering Tier 3 of RDCs

The Scottish Executive will provide the Rural Payments Agency ( RPA) with a breakdown of expenditure incurred in order that they reimburse the Community contribution element of the public aid paid. The RPA will reimburse that amount, declare the public expenditure to the Commission and ask for reimbursement in accordance Article 16 of Commission Regulation 883/2006. The Scottish Executive will be responsible for capturing transactional level information underpinning rural development payments in the required format.

11.6 Accounting, X Tables and Annual Certification of Accounts

The Scottish Executive as the Paying Agency will retain responsibility for the underlying transactions, the production of the accounts and the production of the X Tables. We will meet all statutory obligations for the provision of monitoring, control and payment data. Detailed breakdown of payments by different categories and recipients of spending will be provided in order to facilitate effective monitoring of spending.

11.7 Management and Controls

The Scottish Executive will draw up separate, formal Service Level Agreements ( SLAs) with those bodies to which functions have been formally delegated in accordance with the requirements of Annex 1, Section 1 (C) of Commission Regulation 885/2006. These SLAs will define the roles, responsibilities and obligations of the bodies involved in rural development delivery, with particular focus on the control and verification of compliance with Community rules. In the case of those bodies for which there is no formal delegation of responsibilities/roles, management agreements will be put in place defining the agreed roles and functions.

As the Managing Authority, the Scottish Executive will be responsible for the operational implementation and management of the programme in an efficient, effective and correct way. In order to achieve this, it will work closely with all delivery organisations involved.

These arrangements will build on existing regional and local structures, including the Scottish Executive area networks, LEADER Local Action Group networks and those of other agencies, as they increasingly come together under the Scottish Executive's drive for efficiency and the Scottish Executive's On the Ground approach. Through On the Ground, the Scottish Executive and its agencies collaborate to deliver environmental and land-use programmes, services and initiatives in an integrated way. This approach encourages flexibility and efficiency in the delivery of all schemes and programmes overseen by the Executive.

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