Devolution compromises Scottish farming, says minister

Scottish devolution is compromising the country’s farming industry, Scotland’s rural affairs secretary Richard Lochhead has claimed.

Scotland was unable to make its voice heard when the European Union discussed important agricultural business, he said.

Mr Lochhead was speaking at an opening breakfast at the Royal Highland Show.

“Sometimes we’re not even in the room,” he told listeners.

There had been no Scottish delegation during informal councils or during presidency meetings when ministers map out the future of the CAP post 2013.

Mr Lochhead said he was unable to get a seat at the table during a council lunch this week to discuss the situation in the dairy sector.

“We can’t even get a subject put on a council agenda without going through London and indulging in persuasion.”

Mr Lochhead also criticised DEFRA‘s proposals to make English farmers partly responsible for the cost of fighting animal diseases.

This had big implications for Scotland, he said.

It was wrong that the UK chief veterinary officer, who represented Scotland’s European interests too, would be located within a body for the English industry.

“I have made it clear to Hilary Benn that this is totally unacceptable to Scotland.”