FAILURE of the Scottish Government to get vital payments under the Basic Payments Scheme out on time, is putting Scotland's farmers in a financial predicament,in danger of spiraling out of control.

The concern comes from South-west farmer Jim Walker, who told The Scottish Farmer: " The payments delay is a time-bomb waiting to explode ,with the knock-on effect hitting banks,feed suppliers,seed merchants , fertiliser suppliers,auction marts,cattle dealers,agricultural contractors,machinery dealers,in fact the whole rural supply chain.

"Against this backdrop the patronising offer to pay for extra dead animals killed by the Beast from the East has been the only response of the Scottish Government to the biggest liquidity crisis in rural Scotland in living memory."

According to Mr Walker, a former NFUS president, the root of the problem is lies at the door of the biggest IT scandal in the public sector in Scotland's history

.An IT system supposed to pay a modest sum of money annually to a few thousand Scottish farmers and crofters that sources close to the Scottish Government now estimate has cost nearer £250 million than £200 million to install and still doesn't work.

Mr Walker said: "This is a national scandal of epic proportions and taxpayers in Scotland are footing an ever increasing bill.The government put in place a loan scheme to help out. How can you loan someone their own money?

" Apparently, technical glitches around mapping changes, rented land, entitlement transfer, have stopped the IT system performing yet again. For the last 12 months farmers and crofters have submitted all the necessary information in various scheme claim forms but the system has failed to cope..

"Why has this time not been spent preparing the information for this useless IT system to upload it to allow payments to be issued on time?. There can only be two possible answers. They either don't care despite the hardship quietly festering under the radar on farms. across Scotland.Or they aren't up for the job and are totally incompetent. There can't be any other reason after three years of this nonsense.".

Mr Walker added: "Enough is enough. It is time to call a halt to this pantomime. Why should suppliers and farmers bank roll a sector amongst ourselves while our own government sits on our money.

"This is the responsibility of the First Minister who is ultimately responsible for the proper use of public funds on our behalf. On no test of reasonable can it be justifiable to make farmers wait without interest for monies long overdue because of a wretched computer.

"Unacceptable,totally unacceptable.What did Nero do? He fiddled when Rome burnt just like our First Minister as she presides over the biggest funding scandal in modern Scottish history,never mind the misery of her long suffering farming customers and constituents."

Scott Walker,NFUS chief executive said: "Securing ongoing improvements to build trust and confidence in the IT system remains a priority for NFU Scotland and Scottish Government has committed to getting the IT system on an even keel.

"Much effort has gone in to correcting a badly flawed system and this is ongoing. Progress continues to be made,albeit at a pace that continues to frustrate farmers and crofters.

"

"That said, the online application system this year, while not without its problems, appears to have been the smoothest since the system started and NFUS received only a small number of calls from members who struggled with electronic applications.

.

"When it comes to payments,NFUS has lobbed hard for a loan scheme approach to address problems within the IT delivery system and to ensure cash flow to farmers, crofters and the wider rural economy.

"The fact that the loan approach continues to be required shows that there has been no 'quick fix' to deliver all the improvements wanted by farmers and crofters.

"The latest loan schemes for BPS,greening and LFASS, and bringing forward balance payments and Beef Calf Scheme payments has shown a flexible approach from Scottish Government to keep cash flows going in what has been an incredibly challenging year for many.

"We are looking for ewe hogg payments to commence as soon as possible to keep this momentum going.

"In the future though,we must get a situation when the timetable for payments is known and delivered. This is important not just for farmers and crofters but for the health of the rural economy."

Fergus Ewing,rural secretary said: "The IT system is working and is supporting the processing and payment of claims. We have now paid £177 million of BPS to 53% of businesses, so a majority of eligible farmers and crofters have now received the final balance of their payments. We have also made 95% of our Scottish Beef Suckler Support Scheme payments worth £37.8 million.

"We have now also offered £57.6 million in LFASS 2017 loans and paid out almost £52 million in LFASS loan payments to 8339 farmers and crofters,to maintain our commitment to keep cash flowing into the rural economy."