MP calls for action on Agriculture Bill

Luke Graham, MP for Ochil and South Perthshire, has called on the SNP government at Holyrood to drop their opposition to Scotland being in the UK Agriculture Bill.

This has been an issue Mr Graham has chosen to campaign on since the SNP said it wanted to exclude Scotland from the bill.

Responding to his questions in parliament, George Eustice MP, minister of state for agriculture, fisheries and food, said: “There is an open offer from the government to add ... Scotland at a later stage of this bill, if they want to.

“The Scottish Government has the power to act in this space and they need to make their mind up about what they want to do.”

According to Mr Graham, the agriculture bill is crucial in making sure farmers and the wider agriculture industry receives support payments they are due after Brexit has been completed by March next year.

The bill will ensure farm and rural payments for farmers up until 2024, replacing the existing EU payments.

Luke Graham said:“It is extremely disappointing to see the SNP unmoved by the position they have put our farmers in, through their refusal and belligerence.

“This bill is crucial to ensuring farmers continue to receive their direct and support payments beyond Brexit until 2024, so to see our farmers abandoned by the SNP like this, is deeply concerning.

“I will not allow farmers and rural communities in my constituency to suffer at the hands of SNP nationalism, and will act with other Scottish MPs to amend the bill.”