The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Gove quizzed on no-deal fallout
DEBATE: Secretary of State counters ‘feckless and reckless’ charge
The potentially devastating consequences of a no-deal Brexit on the farming sector and the need for access to non-UK labour were discussed at a debate between farm ministers at SASA, near Edinburgh, yesterday.
Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing and Defra Secretary of State Michael Gove took to the stage in front of an audience of industry body representatives.
Mr Ewing accused the UK Government of having a “feckless and reckless” approach to Brexit, while urging Mr Gove to take a no-deal Brexit off the table.
“Unless you take no-deal off the table there will be irreparable harm, particularly to our lamb sector,” said Mr Ewing.
“A collapse in the lamb price would be the consequence.”
He stressed the importance of migrant labour and said proposed rules, which would prevent someone coming to work in the UK if they earned less than £30,000 a year, would leave businesses short of staff.
He repeated calls for assurances over funding for Pillar 2 schemes, which are not directly farm support, such as forestry and agri-environment and asked Mr Gove to help ensure Less Favoured Area payments could be maintained at current levels.
Mr Gove admitted a no-deal Brexit would pose problems for the sector and said contingency plans were being prepared to help in the event of no-deal being secured. More details will be released later this week.
He added: “There is an opportunity for us all to ensure that no-deal is taken off the table by supporting the deal that the Prime Minister has negotiated.”
He said Brexit presented an opportunity to step away from unnecessary bureaucracy and the £30,000 cap on migrant labour needed to be revisited as many skilled workers earn less than that.
Mr Ewing quizzed Mr Gove on rumours a trade deal was being negotiated with New Zealand to allow increased quantities of lamb to enter the UK tariff-free. However, Mr Gove claimed to know nothing about the deal.