To ask the Scottish Executive on what date the Less Favourable Area Support Scheme payments to farmers and crofters for 2011 (a) started, or will start and (b) will stop being issued.

The 2011 Less Favoured Area Support Scheme runs from 1 January to 31 December 2011. The Scottish Government plans to start issuing the related payments from January 2012. Payments will be processed after all necessary eligibility checks have been completed and, given the example of most recent years, it is expected payments will be effectively complete by February 2012.