 Y Llywodraeth Cymru hwnnw, Mike Rumbles. To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to figures showing the average income of commercial farms decreased by 48 per cent in 2015 to 2016. Cabinet Secretary, furt is doing. Presiding Officer, I agree with Mr Rumbles that, although those reductions were not unexpected, they were still disappointing. As a fundamental part of the rural economy, it is important that agriculture performs well. There are a range of complex reasons behind the decline in farming incomes, primarily the lower revenues received for crops and livestock. Finding solutions to all of this is key, which is why we have appointed four industry champions to explore all the issues and take forward our vision for agriculture. They will also have a role to play in the working group currently being set up, as per Mr Rumbles' amendment in the debate on farming earlier this year, which will consider principles and policy for future rural support. One bright spot in those figures is that costs also fell and that shows that our farmers and crofters are working hard to improve their efficiency. This Government will continue to support them to do that and to help to diversify income streams as well. Mike Rumbles, those are catastrophic figures and they are compounded by the Scottish Government's continuing failure to deliver farm payments on time. The average farm business income in this survey was just £12,500, which included support payments of £38,000, with a third of businesses making a loss. Just and half of farm businesses have had this year's payments processed by the Scottish Government so far. This should all have been done by December. On taking over ministerial responsibility for those shambles almost a year ago, the minister said that getting this right was his number one priority. Does he accept responsibility for the continued failure to deliver what is due to our farmers? I accept the responsibility that befalls in my portfolio, however, as Mr Rumbles knows or should know, and as I have already explained, the reduction in net farm business income arose primarily because of lower prices. That is simply a fact, but what is also a fact and should be made clear is that the CAP payments, the timing thereof, does not impact on these net farm business income figures. If Mr Rumbles was seeking to imply that it did, then I am afraid that that is incorrect. The payment window for this year's pillar one payments, of course, takes us to June, to next month. I can assure Mr Rumbles and all members that terrific efforts are being made in order to achieve those targets this year, and indeed a deal of progress is being made. Of course, I regularly report to the Rural Committee of this Parliament to answer questions on those matters, but I share the headline concern of all members about the reduction in net farm business incomes. What they show above else in conclusion is the absolute essential nature of the EU financial support payments to farmers and crofters, and I hope that that is a point around which we can all agree. Mike Rumbles, we cannot have sloping shoulders here. The NFU said on Thursday that the viability, let alone profitability of every Scottish farming business, relies on three cogs working together—costs, markets and government support. It concluded that these are conspiring to threaten the very existence of many farms, and I would have thought that the cabinet secretary would agree with me that this is a crisis. I could just say that, to date, less than half our farm businesses have had their payments processed. How confident is he—he mentioned the June figure, the June date—how confident is he—with only half done that they will reach the 95 per cent of payments before the end of June, before the European Union takes out infraction proceedings against the Government? Are farmers need this support money and it is not forthcoming? Of course, Mr Rumbles is well aware that these are extremely serious matters and one that I take absolutely thus. It is reasonable to point out, however, something that he has omitted, namely that precisely because of the difficulties in the administration of those payments, there has been loan schemes issued to farmers last year in respect of ELFAS and in respect of pillar 1 this year and ELFAS this year. Those loan payments have been substantially appreciated by great many farmers that I speak to. In response to his second question, we are working extremely hard to ensure that payments of pillar 1 are substantially made in accordance with the timescale that is set out. I am quite sure that the rule committee, who deals with the detail of the matter, will have the opportunity to ask me about the matter in the next few weeks. From his earlier response, it appears to me that the cabinet secretary agrees with me that the biggest risk to farming incomes as this research makes plain is Brexit and the loss of EU funding. Can he advise what guarantees he has had from the Tories at Westminster on future funding for Scottish farming and has he had any success at persuading them to keep their promise to address the convergence issues? The biggest risk of all to farmers in the future is that the EU support is not matched post Brexit according to the UK's plans. I regret to report to the member that, despite having asked orally in writing and in person UK ministers George Eustace and Andrea Ledzim on numerous occasions to confirm that the UK Government's plans are post-Brexit to match EU funding worth to the rural economy £500 million a year. I have had no answer whatsoever on that matter, despite the fact that there are, by my calculations, less than 24 months to go before the onset of the post-Brexit responsibilities. We are completely in the dark about that, because, although EU funding is entirely a reserved matter, we have received zero information from the UK Government on what their plans are post-Brexit to support farming and rural payments. On the second point that she raises, which is about convergence funding, the convergence funding to the sum of £190 million was granted by the EU precisely because Scotland, at only Scotland, qualified on the basis that the payment on average per hectare was the lowest in the UK. Despite that fact, that funding has not been passed on to Scotland, and therefore we have repeatedly asked the UK to pass that money to Scotland because it was intended for Scotland's farmers who receive far, far less per hectare than farmers in England and Wales. I hope that that is a policy that the Conservatives will support when we continue to demand that the money is repaid to Scotland where it rightly belongs. I begin by declaring an interest as a farmer and a food producer. Presiding Officer, the First Minister and the Cabinet Secretary have both already apologised to Scottish farmers and crofters for the delay in the 2015 cap payments, and those apologies are, of course, welcome. Notwithstanding the cabinet secretary's response to Mr Rumbles, can he tell Parliament how many farmers' incomes in the financial year 2015-16 were affected by the later-than-expected payments and what impact that had on the dramatically reduced income figures under discussion today across Scotland, but particularly in our less-favourite areas and crofting communities? As I have made clear already, the timing of cap payments to farmers does not impact on farm business income. I accept that, if payment is later than expected later than was delivered in previous years, obviously there is a delay in receipt of payment to farmers. That is a matter of fact, Mr Scott. Fairly points it out. That is precisely why, as Cabinet Secretary, I have instructed and we are in the course of arranging the latest loan scheme on elfast payments and why I arranged the loan scheme last year. Incidentally, that is why the loan scheme last year issued, in most cases, the substantial majority of payment due earlier than had been received before precisely so that farmers and crofters were able to manage their financial affairs as they received the funds by and large in the first fortnight of November. It is precisely because of that aspect that this Government decided to issue a loan scheme so that that money would be in the hands of our farmers and crofters and thereby in the rural economy of Scotland. However, I take all those matters extremely seriously, as I think Mr Scott realises and will continue to work day and daily, as I have today, I have yesterday, I had on Sunday, on Saturday and every day. I personally reply to farmers who email me about their complaints to say that they will be dealt with. I hope that that does not trigger another several hundred of emails, but I take those matters very seriously, Presiding Officer, and we are working around the clock to sort out those matters. Thank you, and that concludes the topical questions.