Conservative MSP Douglas Ross says waiting until the Autumn is "simply not good enough, the farming community simply cannot wait that long".

Mr Ewing says he cannot come back in June as it will disrupt the officials as they work to sort out the problems of getting the final payments out to farmers.  

Green MSP Mark Ruskell says it is the role of the government to provide certainty and he calls for weekly updates on the remaining process of 2015 payments.

Mr Ewing says the government wants to be "transparent and open" but a weekly update would be too much of a burden. 

Labour MSP Claudia Beamish asks if a review of the 'debacle' will be carried out.

Mr Ewing says he has already said he will return in the Autumn and will then set out in detail what the government will propose.  

Conservative MSP John Lamont asks what percentage of the total money due to borders families has been received to date. 

Mr Ewing says he does not have that breakdown of information. 

He says again that the government has made payments to 84% of applications amounting to nearly £200m. 

SNP MSP Mike Russell asks how these problems can be avoided in the future and asks about what investigation will take place to give confidence to the farming and crofting community.

Mr Ewing says: "It is essential that we learn lessons."

He reiterates his pledge to come back to the chamber to provide an update in the Autumn.

The minister says the 2015 payment problems have had a knock on effect on 2016, but things are going much more smoothly for the 2016 application process. 

Mr Ewing says week on week considerable progress is being made to rectify the problems with farm subsidy payments.

The rural affairs secretary says if there are any individual cases facing hardship they should contact their area offices forthwith. 

Labour MSP Rhoda Grant says the whole scheme has been "shambolic".

Ms Grant says priority must be given to get the correct payments to farmers and crofters waiting.

Mr Ewing says he appreciates the serious consequences of these problems and says everything possible is being done to get the payments out in full.

Conservative MSP Peter Chapman says the CAP delay is "completely unacceptable" and has "eroded farmer's trust" in the government.

Mr Chapman asks if the Scottish government will commit to getting the payments out on time.

Mr Ewing says from day one in the job and for the foreseeable future the resolution of the CAP payment issues are his top priority .  

"I am determined to oversee and drive forward the work necessary to bring this payment regime back onto an even keel."

Mr Ewing sets out three priorities: 

• To complete the 2015 payments so farmers get their money as soon as possible;
• To deliver compliance and minimise any financial penalties;
• And to see 2016 payments on a proper footing    

The rural affairs secretary says the government has paid out over 5,000 National BPS loans in April worth over £90m. 

Over 40% of these have been repaid already as the main EU funded payments have been processed, he says.

He says the government has have made main EU funded Basic and Greening payments to over 15,000 businesses which is over 84% of eligible farmers and crofters.

Mr Ewing says: "I can say that most farmers and crofters should have received most of their due payment." 

The rural affairs secretary says by the end of April past, all eligible farmers should have received a substantial payment from the government unless they chose to opt out of  the nationally funded loan scheme. 

That payment will have been worth around 80% of their estimated entitlement he says.

Mr Ewing says most farmers should have received some payments by now and says:

" We are fixing it."

Mr Ewing begins by paying tribute to his predecessor as rural affairs secretary, Richard Lochhead.

He wishes Mr Lochhead and his family well.