Payment fears dismissed

Fears that the current impasse between the Scottish and UK Governments over the reallocation of powers could threaten the Scottish Government’s ability to make farm support payments beyond Brexit were dismissed yesterday.

While the majority of the UK Agriculture Bill which yesterday underwent its second reading applies to farm policy in England, over-arching issues on the wider UK framework are also applicable north of the Border.

So far the Scottish Government has refused to be scheduled in the bill, a move which yesterday raised questions over the administration’s ability to have a mechanism in place which gave them the legal powers to make farm support payments after 2020.

Challenged on this point during the debate, Perthshire MP, Pete Wishart said that the Scottish Government’s objection was the attempted “power grab” which indicated that any common framework within the bill would be imposed, rather than reached by agreement.

The Scottish Government later added that “all decisions affecting agriculture in Scotland should be made in Scotland”.

In a statement, rural economy secretary, Fergus Ewing said that under proposals in the Scottish Continuity Bill and European Withdrawal Act 2018, existing European law would be rolled over:

“…ensuring the Scottish Government retains the legal ability to make farm payments beyond 29 March 2019,” said Ewing who added that to suggest otherwise was inaccurate.

But in a briefing issued by NFU Scotland before the debate, the union called for an end to the impasse between the two governments over the bill.

Reiterating its view that future agricultural policy should be drawn up in Scotland to target the needs of Scottish agriculture, the union voiced concerns that without a legislative vehicle, such as a Scottish Schedule within the Agriculture Bill, Scotland would be unable to enact its policy after Brexit.