Major rail improvement projects in Scotland are behind schedule with costs spiralling, according to a report published in July.

Analysis of Network Rail's performance found the electrification of the line between Edinburgh and Glasgow is unlikely to be completed by December.

It has also made "slow progress" on improvements to the Highland mainline and the Aberdeen to Inverness route.

Transport Minister Humza Yousaf said he was "concerned and disappointed" by the report.

He has ordered Transport Scotland officials to carry out a review of the governance of major rail projects.

The CAP payments evidence session concludes. 

During the last evidence session of the day the committee will now take evidence from Phil Verster from the ScotRail Alliance and from Karl Budge from Network Rail.

MSPs will take evidence on the level of performance and how ScotRail and Network Rail meet customers needs. 

Lib Dem MSP Mike Rumbles says with Brexit, the UK government has guaranteed Pillar One payments for the next four years.

Mr Rumbles says he would like to know when the four years are up what the design for a new system of agriculture will look like in 2020, as it must be at the top of the minister's agenda.

Mr Ewing says he is over the time he had agreed with the clerks and says he respectfully suggests this is not within the remit of the CAP payments session.

Committee convener Edward Mountain asks what is being put in place for post-2020.

Mr Ewing says discussions are underway with stakeholders, but says there is a total lack of clarity as the Brexit position is unclear.

The minister says CAP payments are reserved and he says there have been assurances on Pillar One that the Scottish government have committed to passing on.

Mr Ewing says there is no clarity from the UK governmen on up to £360m of SRDP funds, leaving a "cloud hanging over farmers".

Image source, Getty images

Mr Ewing says it appears the level of debt for farmers has increased more south of the border.

The rural economy secretary says the good relationship between banks and the farming sector is an asset.

Conservative MSP Jamie Greene asks for clarity in writing in regards to penalties that can be reclaimed from the IT contractor.

The minister says: "I'll add that to my list."

SNP MSP Mairi Evans asks how disallowance has compared across the UK.

Mr Ewing says as soon as there are figures he will come back to the parliament.

SNP MSP Richard Lyle asks what changes in the CAP and CAP administration caused this and could the problems have been foreseen.

Image source, Thinkstock

Mr Ewing says splitting the land into three separate sections created problems.

The minister says perhaps the problems should have been foreseen and the the main challenge has been the complexity of the scheme.

Mr Ewing accepts that lessons must be learned from the IT problems.

Image source, bbc

The minister says there has already been a 'Rolls-Royce of an inquiry' into the IT difficulties by Audit Scotland., external

Labour MSP Rhoda Grant asks how much the IT system has cost.

Mr Ewing says, as of 31 July 2016, CAP Futures had cost £140m.

He says the total budget for the IT scheme is £178m.

Committee convener Edward Mountain asks about the failures of the system and their cost.

The minister says the government had to ask staff to give more than their normal contribution and he is delighted they did so.

Mr Ewing says in terms of the overtime cost it was £106,000 which is a "small fraction of city businessman's bonus" and it was disseminated for excellent work from 400 staff. 

He says he makes no apology for the overtime payments.

Mr Mountain says farmers are very grateful to staff but he wants more detail on extra staff and payments.

Audit Scotland, external highlighted "serious cost and operational issues" around the Scottish government's attempt to reform agricultural payments, in a report published , externalin May.

Image source, Audit Scotland

Under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), about £4.6bn in European and Scottish government funding will be paid out between 2015 and 2020.

The CAP Futures programme in Scotland was meant to make the rural payment process more efficient.

SNP MSP Mairi Evans says a fuller explanation about why certain cases have not received a payment or a loan would be useful.

Jonathan Pryce from the Scottish government says as this is the first year of the new CAP scheme more had to be done.

Mr Pryce says some of the most complex functions have required IT development that is only a year one issue.

The EU hands responsibility for paying out the EU farming subsidy payments to national and regional governments, including Scotland - which is due to receive about £5.8bn in CAP Futures funding over the next six years.

The money is mainly given to improve agricultural productivity and to ensure farmers have a reliable source of income.

Image source, Getty Images

In May, Farming union NFU Scotland called on the Scottish government to "get to grips" with its "calamitous" attempts to distribute the money.

The Scottish government had said it is keeping a tight rein on activity, costs and risks, to secure the best value it can for the taxpayer.

The minister says the need for explanation is an entirely fair point.

Chief Agricultural Officer David Barnes says the priority is getting the last of the payments out.

Committee convener and Conservative MSP Edward Mountain asks for future clarification on the payments to farmers.

Mr Mountain says again he and fellow Conservative Peter Chapman have farming interests.

Mr Chapman says there has been a failure of documentation and explanation.

The minister points to the extreme dificuty of the scheme and the problems with the IT system.

Mr Ewing says he accepts there is a need for explanation but it is unfair to say there hasn't been any.

The deadline for paying European subsidies to farmers was extended from 30 June to 15 October, in June.

Problems with a new Scottish government computer system caused delays to many Scottish farmers due the money.

The Scottish government had been facing fines of between £40m and £125m if it did not meet the original June deadline.

But the EU's commissioner for agriculture, Phil Hogan, announced the new date that month.

The move followed a meeting between the commissioner and Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon in Edinburgh in May.

Mr Ewing is asked by Lib Dem MSP Mike Rumbles asks  again how many farm businesses have received absolutely nothing.

The minister asks Jonathan Pryce from the Scottish government to help and he says almost everyone who has not recieved an EU payment has received a loan or the offer of a loan.

Mr Pryce says there are fewer than 100 claimants without a loan or payment.

Mr Rumbles says he is not talking about loans, he says his question is simply about who have received no EU payment.

Mr Pryce says 473 businesses that have received nothing and a further 230 that have received a part of the EU payment.

The rural economy secretary says it is important not to say that 473 businesses have received no money as some have received loans.

The CAP Futures programme in Scotland was meant to make the rural payment process more efficient.

But problems with a new Scottish government IT system caused delays to many farmers receiving the money.

In May, public spending watchdog Audit Scotland said the lengthy delays had a major impact on farmers - many of whom were already experiencing financial difficulties caused by low milk prices and severe flooding.

Mr Ewing told MSPs at Holyrood that 17,744 out of 18,479 eligible businesses had now received their 2015 payments, with "the majority of outstanding cases" expected to be paid by the 15 October deadline.

Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing says there has been fairly solid progress since his statement last week.

Mr Ewing says the total of greening and young farmers payments has reached £329m.

He says the government has offered loans to farmers who have not yet been paid and 90% of these loans have been recouped.

The minister says around £9-10m remains to be paid under Pillar One schemes.

Getting the payments out remains a priority, he says.