Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between David Mundell and Amber Rudd

Wednesday 20th June 2012 Commons Chamber

[Amber Rudd (Hastings and Rye) (Con)]

4. What recent discussions representatives of his Department have had with representatives of the Scottish agricultural industry.

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

I meet regularly with representatives of the Scottish agricultural industry, including the National Farmers Union of Scotland and individual producers. I look forward to further direct engagement tomorrow, when I attend the royal highland show.

[Amber Rudd]

Does the Minister agree that those in the Scottish agricultural sector are better off with Scotland remaining part of the UK?

[David Mundell]

I absolutely agree with my hon. Friend. An independent Scotland would shrink our home market of 60 million consumers to a mere 5 million overnight. Farmers would be reliant on exporting their produce. Some 64% of Scottish beef was sold to the rest of the UK, as the first point of delivery, in 2011.