Stevenson Seeks Assurances from DEFRA on Food Standards

Banffshire & Buchan Coast MSP Stewart Stevenson has written to the Conservative Secretary of State for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs seeking assurances that commitments given on food and environmental protections and animal welfare will not be compromised in pursuit of a trade deal with the USA.

In his letter to the UK Secretary of State, Mr Stevenson says:

“I note with some concern comment in the farming press regarding the above Bill and the lack of any commitment to maintaining current food and environmental standards.

“The issue of food standards post-Brexit, in particular, is an issue which has been raised with me on previous occasions by my farming constituents.

“I should be grateful if you would put an end to their uncertainty and let me have an assurance that animal welfare, food and environmental protections will not be diluted.”

Commenting, Stewart Stevenson said:

“Scotland’s farmers have had years of uncertainty from the Tories, coupled with contempt over the theft of their Convergence Funding. The big concern is that Tory Ministers have not put any of the commitments they gave during the election campaign into this Bill and it looks increasingly like the pursuit of a Trump trade deal will be at any cost.”

Tories Back Down on Abolishing Rates Relief

Banffshire & Buchan Coast SNP MSP Stewart Stevenson has claimed that the credibility of the Tories “lies in tatters” following their backtrack on the issue of devolving non-domestic rates to local authorities.

The Tories, who this week voted against a Green Party amendment to devolve business rates, had previously supported the same proposal at stage 2 – a move that would have removed rates relief and seen small businesses facing a rates hike of over £7,000. In the last year alone, over 100,000 Scottish businesses saved nearly £300m from rates relief introduced by the Scottish Government.

Commenting, Stewart Stevenson MSP said:

“This is a humiliating U-turn by the Tories and highlights the strength of opposition from the Scottish business sector to their initial decision to support the devolution of business rates to local authorities.

“I received numerous e-mails and letters from business organisations extremely concerned at the consequences had the proposal gone through. The effects locally in the North-east would have been devastating.

“Whilst I am glad that the Tories have finally come to their senses, it is a damning indictment of their lack of commitment to Scottish businesses that they would be willing to cause such uncertainty in an attempt to score cheap political points.

“At stage 2 of the bill, the Tories voted to jeopardise local funding for councils and abolish rates relief worth £300m for over 100,000 businesses across Scotland. Between this shocking decision and the untold damage and uncertainty that Brexit is causing to businesses across the country, the reputation of the Tories as “the party of business” lies in absolute tatters.

“Far from being a party fit for government, the Tories show with each passing day that they are not even fit for opposition.”

Scottish Fishing Industry to be Left High and Dry by Johnston's Brexit

Northern Ireland Deal Leaves Scotland at Disadvantage
The Scottish fishing industry is set to be left high and dry by Brexit, with the agreement reached for Northern Ireland leaving Scotland at a competitive disadvantage.

Even in the event that no trade deal is reached between the UK and Europe in the months ahead, Northern Ireland would face no tariffs or trade barriers with the EU.

That means that fishermen in Northern Ireland would have unfettered access to 500 million consumers in Europe’s single market, while Scottish vessels do not — potentially devastating sales of Scottish fish and an entire processing and haulage sector.

Alternately, Scottish vessels could move their registration to Northern Ireland to maintain market access which would also hammer Scottish ports, most of the onshore sector and thousands of jobs in Scotland.

Those in the small-batch, high-value export seafood business such as creel fishermen may be hit particularly hard with Alistair Sinclair from the Scottish Creel Fishermen’s Federation telling BBC Scotland that trade barriers could “kill the sector stone dead if we can’t get access to markets”.

Commenting, Stewart Stevenson MSP said:

“Boris Johnson has made huge promises to Scottish fishing which he knows he can’t keep.

“Scottish fishing looks set to be sold out once again.

“The only agreement so far reached is for Northern Ireland’s fishing industry. Scotland it appears is a low-priority afterthought.

“The danger now to an entire industry is real and deeply troubling.

“Some skippers and their crews will simply decide they cannot compete when placed at such a disadvantage and hang up their oilskins for good.

“Others might move their home ports to Northern Ireland — though that would decimate an entire onshore processing sector, with thousands of jobs lost. It would be a disaster.

“Scotland didn’t vote for any of this, and the SNP won’t stand idly by as the Tories kill off another proud Scottish industry.

“We need the full powers of independence so we can fight for jobs and a brighter future.”