NFUS pushes for Scottish schedule in UK Ag Bill to provide certainty for farmers

The union’s policy director Jonnie Hall said: “We have over recent months taken the view that in order to best pursue the ‘belt and braces’ approach, this must be done on a cross-party basis in the interests of Scottish agriculture, which go well beyond any political interest.

“As a result, and throughout this process, with have engaged with MPs from across the Scottish political spectrum in a concerted effort to take the political heat out of what we see as a pragmatic approach in the interests of Scottish farmers and crofters.

“We have explicitly raised the notion of a cross-party approach to a Scottish schedule with each political party in an effort to build consensus around powers to enable Scottish Government Ministers to do what is best for Scottish agriculture.”

Accepted

In Wales, Ministers have accepted a schedule in the UK Agriculture Bill, but a report by the Welsh Assembly’s Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs (CCERA) Committee warned it would enable the Welsh Government to introduce a new system of agricultural support without proper scrutiny.

In order to solve the problem, the committee recommended Ministers should be required to consult before bringing forward any new regulations under powers granted by the Agriculture Bill.

It also suggested the Bill should contain a ‘sunset clause’ which would limit the amount of time Welsh Ministers were able to exercise the powers set out in the legislation.