Chamber and committees

Okay. Would that include pharmacy staff? I saw Fiona McIntyre nodding.

Before I come to my question about conscientious objection, I ask Rami Okasha what he meant when he said that there is a definition in the bill that would open it up more widely. Is that the definition of terminal illness?

Would you prefer further provisions in the bill to protect professionals if the bill progresses and becomes an act?

Will the member give way?

As a representative of a large rural agricultural area and as a member of the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee, I welcome the opportunity to speak in today’s debate.

It is hugely important that all members consider the impact of the UK Government’s budget on Scotland’s rural economy. As a co-convener, I recently chaired the cross-party group on rural policy, and one of the attendees stated clearly that anyone who eats food has a vested interest in agriculture and the rural economy—it is that important.

Scotland is paying a high price for UK Government decision making, first under the Tories and now under Labour. One thing is crystal clear: the Labour Government’s budget has taken a wrecking ball to Scottish agriculture. Emma Roddick was right to use those words. It has devastated certainty of support and has destroyed succession planning for family farms.

Scotland’s rural economy is a major source of growth for Scotland. It has delivered an economic contribution that is worth £39 billion, which was 26 per cent of Scottish total gross value added in 2021 alone. Across Scotland as a whole, food and drink jobs equate to around 129,000 jobs in more than 17,000 businesses, many of which are in rural areas with fragile economies, such as mine in Dumfries and Galloway and the Scottish Borders. However, the UK budget brings a hammer blow to the agriculture sector.

Before the UK general election, there was a clear and united voice across the country that farming needed to see multi-annual ring-fenced funding, to ensure the same certainty we had while we were in the EU. That was the right call. Instead, Labour’s “broken Brexit Britain” approach to farming is worse than what we had before. The removal of ring-fenced funding and the Barnettising of that funding was always one of the biggest fears, since the day after the Brexit vote, and the Labour Party has done it. That is galling, and I agree with NFU Scotland and farmers in Dumfries and Galloway that the decision will have disastrous consequences.

The Labour Government’s budget has overhauled the way in which post-EU agriculture funding is delivered to the devolved Governments. Funding for agriculture and marine activity in Scotland, which was previously ring fenced, has now been baselined into the Scottish block of funding. That means that the full amount that has been allocated for 2024-25—£620 million for agriculture and £14 million for marine—is to be included in the block grant. That is unacceptable, and I repeat my call for the Labour Government to reverse that decision, given the harm that it will do to Scottish agriculture and to all the jobs and industries that rely on it.

I definitely see that the Scottish Government supports rural communities. Of course, we are operating within tight fiscal constraints. I would like to proceed.

Labour has also imposed changes to agricultural property relief, which it announced following absolutely no prior discussion with the devolved nations, despite the colossal contribution that agriculture makes to the Scottish economy. NFU Scotland is clear on the impact of that and has challenged as “misleading” the suggestion that only one in four farms will be affected by the change to inheritance tax. It has said that that does not take account of how land prices differ across the country and that the change will, therefore, impact communities differently. One farmer in Dumfries and Galloway told me how much the decision will impact their family farm, given that their son is projected to pay in excess of £270,000 to inherit the farm. That is not supporting our farmers—it is hindering them.

The Scottish block grant is significantly affected by decisions that are taken by the UK Government, and it is now going to have an effect on the resources that are available to the Scottish Government for funding agricultural support, which was previously ring fenced. If the budget is reduced in England, where there is a compatibility factor in Scotland of 100 per cent, the Scottish budget will go down as a consequence. Instead of the long-term funding certainty that was available under our EU membership, we now have an inadequate settlement from the UK Government. However much the Scottish Government would like to deliver a multi-annual settlement, it has financial information for only one financial year.

Karen Adam mentioned labour shortages. Migration is possibly the biggest challenge that Scotland’s economy is facing just now, and it is unforgivable that every Westminster party is completely ignoring Scotland’s specific migration needs as they fight for right-wing votes in England. The rural visa pilot scheme would help to mitigate the impact of labour shortages and facilitate routes to enable workers to come to Scotland to support our public services and help businesses to reach their full potential.

During the general election campaign, Dame—potentially soon to be Baroness—Jackie Baillie said that Labour was open to talks, but there has been no progress on that so far, despite the First Minister and the rural secretary consistently raising the issue with UK ministers.

The UK Government’s budget will be disastrous for our farmers, and it must be re-thought. I will support the Government’s motion at decision time.

Thank you—I appreciate it, and I will be quick.

Did the member, in his position as convener of the Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee, negotiate with the previous UK Government in support of multiyear funding? Did you do that in any of your communications with the previous Government?

The Labour Party has shown that it has no understanding of the unique needs of Scottish agriculture and no interest in trying to understand those needs. The removal of ring-fenced funding is a severe blow to Scotland’s farming sector and comes on the back of the loss of multi-annual funding, which was foisted on it by the Tories. Labour’s decision shows that it has little to no interest in farming, food security or the prosperity of rural Scotland and its economy. Will the First Minister outline his Government’s support for rural Scotland amid the latest Westminster turmoil?

Opposition members appear to suggest that Government ministers should not, in an official capacity, attend events that relate to their ministerial portfolio responsibilities. Would ending that practice be beneficial or detrimental to the work of the Scottish Government?

Good morning. I am interested in information about salmon mortality. The Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee’s report made recommendations—they are listed as 9 and 10 in the report—regarding the levels of mortality among farmed salmon. Since then, stakeholders have stated that the mortality rates have remained high, citing reports that 17.5 million fish died in 2022.

I know that measures are being taken to address things such as the handling of the fish, the need for a reduction in mortality and a reduction in the levels of stress. Can you provide an update on what is being done to address fish mortality? Are we heading in the right direction and reducing the numbers?