No support given for rule change on livestock transport
The Scottish Government yesterday promised the country’s rural and island communities that they would give no support to any attempts to change rules on the transport of livestock within the UK which would disproportionately affect businesses in remote areas.
Speaking in the Scottish Parliament, rural affairs minister Ben Macpherson said he understood the concerns raised across the country regarding the recommendations made by the Farm Animal Welfare Committee (FAWC) in its opinion on the Welfare of Animals During Transport:
“Prior to the consultation we fully recognised the vital importance of traditional patterns of movement for livestock in island and remote rural communities,” said Mr Macpherson, “and we will continue to protect the needs and interests of Scottish farming and crofting by ensuring that appropriate livestock movements between all areas of Scotland can continue.”
He added that farmers and crofters across Scotland played a vital role in sustaining rural communities, by providing healthy,
quality food and drink, helping to combat climate change and creating sustainable jobs. But he balanced his promise to heed the widespread concerns within the industry over some of the FAWC proposals by stating his administration was also committed to ensuring the highest standards of animal welfare:
“We recognise that all journeys have an impact on the welfare of animals and we believe that ‘the three R’s approach’ should apply – asking can journeys be replaced, reduced and refined,” he said.
He added that the Scottish Government would work alongside the other UK administrations to seek to end the unnecessary export of livestock for slaughter or fattening to countries outside of the UK. The minister said his department would analyse the responses to the recent consultation and would work closely with the other UK administrations and stakeholders before making any proposals to amend existing legislation.
Meanwhile the sheep sector has been enjoying a period of near record prices since the beginning of the year, according to the sector body, Quality Meat Scotland (QMS).
According to the latest market commentary, since the beginning of 2021 farmgate prices for prime sheep had been some of the highest on record and some 20% higher than a year ago.
Stuart Ashworth, the organisation’s director of economic services, said good prices are usually an indication of firm demand and weak supply.
“Certainly, in the UK, slaughter data and auction market throughputs indicate a shortage of domestic supply,” said Mr Ashworth. “January prime sheep slaughter volume in the UK was reported by Defra to have been down 18% and auction market throughputs since then continue to be lower than last year.”
Mr Ashworth said some of the reduction in kill was a consequence of Covid disruption to slaughter lines while the smaller UK lamb crop reported in the June 2020 census, together with high slaughtering during the second half of 2020 spelled a smaller carryover of hoggs into 2021.
Deliveroo has said it plans to raise £1 billion from its impending listing on the London Stock Exchange.
The takeaway delivery business confirmed its fundraising target for the first time as it moves closer to its initial public offering (IPO) which is expected to value to company at more than £5 billion.
Deliveroo announced its intention to float earlier this month, although its formal valuation will not be clear until it sets the price at which it will sell shares.
On Monday, the company confirmed that the float would mean selling newly issued and existing shares from some of its current investors in the stock market.
The proposed IPO will have a dual-class structure which will grant founder Will Shu with 20 votes per share, compared with one per share for normal investors when shareholder votes are held.
The float was announced just days after the Government committed to changing the current London rules.
An Edinburgh-based firm specialising in the production of prestigious medals is aiming to see its revenues regain their shine after being stymied by the pandemic – and help safeguard the future of the craft.
Alex Kirkwood & Son claims to be one of Scotland’s most historic family businesses, having been established in 1826 – and is now the nation’s “sole surviving medallist company”.
It says it is a medallist, silversmith, engraver and trophy maker, serving globally renowned names including Yale University and golfing organisations The R&A and the United States Golf Association.
Furthermore, the Leithbased business is aiming to continue to help commemorate moments of history through medals and ensure the craft is maintained within Scotland.
Led by fifth-generation family member David Kirkwood, it makes the Livingstone Medal, for example, awarded by the Royal Scottish Geographical Society, whose recipients have included Sir Edmund Hillary, Sir Ranulph Fiennes, The Duke of Edinburgh, Sir Michael Palin and Sir David Attenborough. The Scottish firm has been responsible for creating the dies and striking the medals since the award’s inception.
Two of the most famous dies it has produced are those made of solid silver created for the seal for stamping the Great Seal of Scotland, which is attached to official documents to confer royal assent by the reigning monarch.
More recent medals have included The Edinburgh Medal, struck in silver and awarded by the City of Edinburgh to an
individual who has contributed greatly to science, and the St Andrew’s Award Medal, celebrating acts of bravery in Scotland.
The business also continues to make the stall plates
installed in the Thistle Chapel at St Giles’ Cathedral carrying the family crests of each new knight appointed to the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle.
Alex Kirkwood & Son said
medal production accounts for more than half of its income, the rest derived from trophy production, engraving and silverware.