Oral Answers to Questions

Calum Kerr Excerpts

Wednesday 18th January 2017 Commons Chamber

[Calum Kerr (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk) (SNP)]

2. What discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on support for the Scottish agriculture sector.

[The Secretary of State for Scotland (David Mundell)]

I regularly meet Cabinet colleagues to discuss a wide range of matters. I recently met the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to discuss a number of issues relating to the Scottish agriculture sector, and will continue to do so.

[Calum Kerr]

Last year, the farming Minister told us that there would be an £18 billion Brexit dividend. He said that farmers would continue to get

“as much support—or perhaps even more”

after Brexit. Does the Secretary of State agree that it would be unacceptable if funding to Scottish agriculture was cut after 2020?

[David Mundell]

There is no suggestion that funding to Scottish agriculture will be cut, but there is the opportunity to move forward from the constraints of the common agricultural policy, which farmers throughout Scotland have often complained about. We need to seize this opportunity to reshape the support for farming to make it more effective, but to continue to sustain those areas of Scottish farming that need sustaining.