101 UK Brexit Notes

Connemara Programme October 16 2018 pg. 28 Agriculture: Rural Development Grants Purpose This notice explains how farmers, land managers and rural businesses in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland who receive payments under the EU Rural Development Programmes, funded under Pillar 2 of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), would be affected if the UK leaves the EU with no deal. It sets out how government will make sure funding for projects under these programmes continues in a no deal outcome. Before 29 March 2019 The Rural Development Programmes in the four UK nations support farmers and land managers who manage their land in ways that benefit the environment, and rural entrepreneurs who wish to develop their businesses. The programmes are administered by Defra in England, and devolved administrations in the other UK nations. After 29 March 2019 if there’s no deal The UK governmen t has guaranteed t hat any projects where funding has been agreed before the end of 2020 will be funded for their full lifetime. This means, in the unlikely event the UK leaves the EU with no deal, the UK government would fund any remaining payments to farmers, land managers and rural businesses due after March 2019. This would ensure continued funding for these projects until they finish. The guarantee also means that Defra and the devolved administrations can continue to sign new projects after the UK leaves the EU during 2019 and 2020, up to the value of programme allocations. If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, Defra and devolved administrations would ensure an uninterrupted flow of funding to farmers, rural businesses and communities. To ensure stability and continuity, the guarantee would be administered through existing national and local arrangements, modified and simplified as appropriate in line with domestic rules on public spending. Projects would need to continue to deliver good value for money and meet domestic strategic priorities. Implications Farmers, land managers and rural businesses with agreements funded by the UK Rural Development Programmes do not need to take any action at present. There would be no substantive change for farmers, land managers and rural businesses who have agreements funded by the UK Rural Development Programmes due to finish after 29 March 2019, and existing application and contracting arrangements would remain in place for those planning to seek funding after this date but before the end of 2020. Programmes would continue to be managed to ensure appropriate audit, monitoring and evaluation arrangements are in place and spending delivers good value for money and meets government priorities.