Business and Policy May 2025 – Policy Brief

Keeping Up to Date

To keep up to date with the latest news on topics like the Agricultural Reform programme, businesses have the option of ‘opting in’ to RPID mailings when completing this year’s IACS form.  At the end of this year’s IACS application, businesses are asked if they wish to ‘opt in’ to mailings on news and opportunities relevant to your business.

The next meeting of the Rural Policy Cross Party Group is Wednesday the 4^th of June 2025 6.00-7.30 pm.  The Cross-party group's purpose is to inform MSPs and the wider Scottish Parliament about issues relating to rural policies and policy-making in Scotland.  For more details please click on this link: Rural Policy | Scottish Parliament Website

Glyphosate renewal

As the broad spectrum herbicide Glyphosate is one of the most used and extensively studied pesticides in the world; the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has recently announced the launch of the renewal assessment process for glyphosate.

Following a dossier in support of renewing the approval of glyphosate submitted by the Glyphosate Renewal Group (GRG), the HSE has deemed the application admissible and will now assess whether glyphosate continues to meet the approval criteria for an active substance in GB.

To allow for a renewal assessment to be completed, HSE have extended the approval of glyphosate until 15 December 2026.  For more information, please click on this link: Active substance renewal: glyphosate - HSE

Under the terms of the Windsor Framework, EU plant protection regulations (EC website) continue to apply directly in Northern Ireland. Subject to certain conditions and restrictions, glyphosate is currently approved for sale and use in the EU member states until 15 December 2033.

Housing Rent Control Consultation

Last year, the Scottish Government set out its plans for long-term rent controls in the Housing (Scotland) Bill, which will help create a fairer, better-regulated rented sector for tenants and landlords.

A consultation has been published on potential for certain exemptions from rent controls or increases above the rent cap.

Tenants, landlords and others in the rented sector are being asked to share their views on possible exemptions to the rent cap, for example in connection with mid-market and Build to Rent properties.

The consultation also considers where landlords could be allowed to increase rents above the cap, for example where there have been improvements to their property or where rents have consistently been charged at a level below market rates.

As many agricultural businesses rent out surplus housing on their properties and/or have investment properties, of particular note in relation to property improvements is the Scottish Government’s plan to progress with the development of regulations under existing powers in the Energy Act 2011 to introduce a minimum energy efficiency standard (MEES) in the private rented sector. These regulations would mean all privately rented properties, as far as possible, reaching the equivalent of EPC C.  The cost of meeting this criteria could have an impact on rents.

For more information and to take part in the consultation, please click here Housing (Scotland) Bill - Scottish Government consultations - Citizen Space.  The consultation period closes on the 15^th July 2025.

Dog Theft (Scotland) Bill

MSP Maurice Golden has introduced a Private Member’s Bill which creates a statutory offence of dog theft.  Currently, in Scotland, when a person is charged with the theft of a dog, the common law offence of theft would apply.

The proposed Dog Theft (Scotland) Bill advocates for the creation of a specific offence of dog theft taking into account the emotional and financial impact that dog theft can have on the owner, with penalties not exceeding 12 months imprisonment or to a fine not exceeding the prescribed sum (or both) in Summary proceedings.  For serious (Solemn) cases, the proposed penalty is up five years imprisonment or an unlimited fine (or both).

For more information on the proposed Bill, please click here: Dog Theft (Scotland) Bill | Scottish Parliament Website

Key Dates

Date	Action
15 May 2025	Midnight - IACS – SAF & BPS Document submission deadline without payment penalty.
15 May 2025	Land used to claim Basic Payment Scheme payment in the current scheme year has to be ‘at your disposal’ on this date.
31 May 2025	Deadline for subsequent amendments to a SAF without penalty.

Christine Beaton, christine.beaton@sac.co.uk