The Scottish Government has announced a new loan scheme to help farmers who have not recieved their European subsidy payments.

Many applications to the scheme have been deleayed for the second successive year due to problems arising for a new £178m Scottish Government IT system.

Rural economy secretary Fergus Ewing said the scheme was necessary to "stabilise payments" for those applying for Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) payments this year.

In a statement to MSPs, Ewing said: "The scheme will provide equivalent funding, not at 80% as was the case last year, but at 90% of their estimated entitlement.

"In terms of timing, I understand that the period from November to the year end is often an important time for farmers and crofters to make major spending decisions.

"So that is why I am announcing the loan scheme now - so that compared to years past when CAP payments would be paid in December or January, the overwhelming majority of farmers will be able to access almost all of their funding from November."

The government has published an action plan to stabilise CAP delivery, which includes the new loan scheme for farmers eligible for payments under the 2017 basic payment scheme.