Continuing Professional Development (CPD) in Tier 4 of the Agricultural Reform Programme: A consultation

Section 2: Scope of the CPD system – mandatory or voluntary

This part of the consultation looks at whether the CPD system should be mandatory, voluntary, or a mix of both approaches.

Approaches to CPD – mandatory or voluntary

We know that there are different views on whether CPD should be mandatory or voluntary or include both approaches.

In 2021, we ran a consultation on Agricultural transition in Scotland – first steps towards our national policy. It asked “Should continuing professional development be mandatory for businesses receiving public support funding?”

We received 314 responses to this question. Of these, 49% thought CPD should be required for businesses to get public funding. There were similar levels of agreement by both individuals (50%) and organisations (46%). Some 27% of responders disagreed with the proposal. Individuals were more likely to disagree with mandatory CPD. This compared to 21% of organisations.

We have identified five approaches that we could use when we introduce the CPD system. These are:

1. Introduce a mandatory CPD system linked to agricultural support and subsidy payments through the SAF. All CPD must be completed and recorded on the CPD system to receive agricultural support from the Scottish Government;

2. Introduce a mandatory CPD system where all CPD must be undertaken and recorded, irrespective of whether any individual elements of it are mandatory or linked to payments;

3. Introduce a CPD system which includes mandatory elements to complete and record, as well as some voluntary CPD being recorded on a discretionary basis;

4. Introduce a CPD system that is entirely voluntary to undertake, but by undertaking it an individual must meet any requirements (such as amount of CPD to be undertaken;

5. Introduce a CPD system that is entirely voluntary to undertake.

By mandatory CPD, we mean individuals must complete and record CPD on the CPD system and then submit it at the end of the CPD year. It can include specific activities to be undertaken, such as learning on a specific subject or topic.

By voluntary CPD, we mean individuals can choose whether to sign up and complete it. They should undertake the specified activity, record it on the CPD platform and submit it at the end of the CPD year. By signing up they would comply with any CPD scheme requirements.

The CPD system could start with one approach and change to another one over time. For example, when the CPD system comes into operation, there could be a voluntary approach (no. 5 in the approaches above), which moves to a mandatory one where CPD is required to be undertaken to receive public support (no 1) in a period of three years. It could start with some mandatory CPD to be undertaken (no. 3) and move to one where it is mandatory to complete (no 2 in the approaches above).

We have not taken a decision on whether CPD should be mandatory, voluntary or a mix of both. Before we do, we want to hear your views and consider them. These include any positive or negative impacts that the different approaches may have. You may wish to consider the various impact assessments associated with this consultation. There is also a series of questions on impacts at the end of this consultation paper.

Question 10: Do you have any comments on the five potential options for the approach that could be taken for the introduction for the CPD system? Yes / No / Don’t know

Please state your answer and give reasons for it.

Question 11: Are there other options that could be considered. For example, should certain CPD be compulsory to undertake for a business but voluntary to undertake for individuals within a business? Yes / No / Don’t know

Please state your answer and give reasons for it.

Question 12: Do you think that there should be mandatory CPD for some topics (eg health and safety or understanding elements of the whole farm plan) but voluntary CPD for other ones? Yes / No / Don’t know

Please state your answer and give reasons for it.