NFUS Welcomes Calman Report

POSITIVE POINTERS FOR FARMING IN CALMAN REPORT 

NFU Scotland has welcomed two particular recommendations from the Commission on Scottish Devolution, chaired by Sir Kenneth Calman.  The Union provided evidence to the Commission last August and some of its key concerns have been reflected in the final report published in Edinburgh this morning (Monday, June 15). 

NFUS had recommended that the animal health and welfare budget, currently held at UK level, should be devolved to Scotland, believing that it was an anomaly that the policy had been devolved in 1999 yet the funding remained under UK Government control.  The Union also believed that improvements could be made in the working relationships between the devolved administrations, particular in determining the UK position in European negotiations.  The Commission has addressed both these points. 

Speaking from the launch of the final report, NFUS Chief Executive James Withers said: 

“The Calman report is a series of recommendations that carry considerable political weight.  There are nearly 300 pages to digest across a whole range of subjects, not least detailed proposals on taxation reform.  However, a few farming and food-related recommendations immediately jump out.   

“The debate over animal health and welfare funding has been running for a long time now.   I hope this report provides the final bit of momentum needed to get this issue settled and for Scotland’s share of the UK’s day-to-day animal health budget to be finally placed under Scottish control.  The Commission backing for that move is welcome. 

“Since devolution, there has been tension over the UK Government’s position in agricultural negotiations in Europe.  The line pushed by UK ministers has, at times, flown in the face of the position of the devolved administrations and industry.  The report effectively calls for the UK Secretary of State to play more of a role in co-ordinating policy amongst the UK administrations and that is a step we’d like to see turn from a recommendation to a reality. 

“There is a somewhat odd recommendation relating to food labelling, an area where the Scottish Parliament should tread warily according to Calman.  Whilst recognising that new labelling regulations should not break single market rules, I would not want to see this kind of recommendation halt the momentum towards clearer and more informative labelling for consumers.”