Seòmar agus comataidhean

That completes our consideration of the instrument. I will pause briefly to allow for a changeover of witnesses.

I have a list of members who want to come in—I have registered the interest of all of them.

Before we go any further, I think that we need to put the discussion into context. The Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee has suggested that

“under regulation 2(4) the instrument keeps the rate of payments under the Less Favoured Area Support Scheme at the current rate (which is the rate that applied in 2018) until 2030.”

Is that the case or not, minister?

Just to get this on the record—this is a question for you, minister—do you agree with the DPLR Committee that the instrument keeps the rate of payment the same as that applied in 2018? Is that your understanding?

But that is what we are deciding today.

That is a decision for the committee, not the minister, but thank you for putting that on the record.

The question is: why should the date be 2030? If we assume that there will be some changes to the rate, why should it not be 2025 or 2026? Why should it be 2030 at the 2018 rates?

I am sorry, did you say to prevent undue time on—

Would this piece of legislation mean that rebasing was off the table, potentially until 2030?

Do you know by what percentage the price of an average test for cattle will go up?