Files
Abstract
This paper analyses the distributional equality of individual Scottish Government-administered
payments in 2008 under CAP Pillars One (single farm payments) and
Two (rural development measures) and in total, in terms of economic, social and
spatial factors.
The analysis shows that 94% of all payments were paid to claimants in core rural
areas (94%) while only a few (5%) claimants resided in urban areas or outside of
Scotland (1%). However, in both Pillars, claims made by urban residents were often
higher than those made by rural dwellers. The Ordinary Least Squares spatial analysis
shows that the level of payments was extremely dependent on the geographical
location and natural conditions. Spatial factors describing the economic situation in
the area of the claimant were significantly related to the level of the CAP amounts
paid. Overall, the level of amounts paid was positively related to the natural,
economic and social structures of the area of residence.
The discussion tackles the question of whether the current system of farm income
support by decoupled payments should be developed into a poverty payment system.