Stirling SNP MSP, Bruce Crawford, is challenging local Tory politicians to back the recommendations made by the National Farmers’ Union Scotland (NFUS) on the UK Govenrmnet’s Agriculture Bill.
The Scottish Govenrmnet’s Rural Economy Secretary, Fergus Ewaing has welcomed the recommendations of the NFUS by stating:
“We welcome this helpful contribution from the NFUS on the UK Agriculture Bill, and their continued support for the Scottish Government’s position that all decisions affecting agriculture in Scotland should be made in Scotland.
“I therefore hope that the UK Government will agree to amend the Bill to reflect our and the NFUS’s legitimate concerns, to ensure that devolution is fully respected, so that in due course we would be able to consider inviting the Scottish Parliament to give its legislative consent.”
Commenting, Bruce Crawford MSP said:
“The Scottish Parliament passed the Continuity Bill earlier this year, for the very purpose of ensuring that powers which are devolved to Scotland, stay in Scotland. This would give the Scottish Governmnet the ability to make farm payments beyond 29 March 2019.
“The Agriculture Bill has a number of serious flaws – and NFUS have correctly pointed to farm payments being under WTO rules being just one of them. This is not acceptable and would have serious implications for farmers and our rural economy.
“Fundamentally, the intrusion on Scotland’s powers is an affront to our democracy. It cannot be right that Whitehall ministers do what they like with matter that are rightfully devolved to Scotland.
“I call on all Tory politicians to support Stirling’s proud farming communities by joining by SNP colleagues and I in lobbying the UK Government for amendments to the Agriculture Bill that fully respects our devolved settlement.”
