Devolution and delivery: recent rural policy-making in Scotland

Since 1999, Scotland has (re)gained a considerable degree of political independence from the rest of the UK, and a minority nationalist government since 2007 has determined a strong general policy agenda, including ambitious climate change commitments. This new political framework is being exploited in various ways as regards agricultural and rural policy. Recent developments in Scottish agricultural and rural policy (e.g. implementation of the CAP’s Pillars 1 and 2, especially the latter’s “Rural Priorities” scheme, and “land reform”) and its governance (public administration and private involvement) are described, with conclusions about the implications of devolution.