7. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the Farming Connect business advice grant? (OAQ51024)

There is no specific Farming Connect business advice grant. However, our Farming Connect service provides a wide range of valuable support services focused on driving modernisation, increased prosperity and resilience. As we head towards Brexit and the considerable challenges this will present to farming and forestry, Farming Connect becomes an ever more important resource this Government makes available to our farmers and foresters.

Cabinet Secretary, I’ve been contacted by a constituent with concerns about the administration fees charged by consultants to conduct work under the Farming Connect business advice grant—or, if I’m incorrect, as you stated—. It seems to be that, in some cases, consultants are taking up to 20 per cent of the total grant in administration fees. Are you prepared to have a look at this and investigate it and potentially put a cap on administration fees so that as much of the funding reaches the front line and reaches the farmer as possible, rather than lining consultants’ pockets? I’d be interested to hear if this issue has been raised with you previously and I’d be happy to provide you with some examples.

I think it would be better if the Member could write to me because, as I say, there isn’t a grant that you asked me about in your original question. Farming Connect tends to signpost farmers and foresters to different schemes and grants. So, I’m really unclear as to which grant you’re referring to. So, yes, I think it would be really helpful if the Member could write to me and then, obviously, I can respond.