QMS calls for change in levy money legislation
Scottish red meat levy body Quality Meat Scotland has called for a change in legislation to ensure levy money is paid based on an animal’s country of origin, rather than point of slaughter.
Following on from the closure of the Hall’s of Broxburn pig processing plant, many Scottish pigs are now being slaughtered south of the border in Malton, North Yorkshire. As a result, QMS has warned it could be losing more than £1m in levy money as a result of Scottish-born animals being slaughtered south of the border.
“In the short-term the closure of Hall’s has inevitably meant that some pigmeat supplies are being diverted south and levy collected at point of slaughter is going south with those pigs,” said chairman Jim McLaren.
“What this situation brings sharply into focus is the need to make progress on the wider levy repatriation issue. The fact is that Scotland is missing out on over £1m of pig and sheepmeat levy per year from animals born and reared in Scotland but slaughtered south of the border.
“Addressing this inequity requires a change in legislation and, once again, we are urging the Scottish government to progress discussions on this matter with Westminster and Cardiff.”
This comes after a similar call by Welsh red meat levy board Hybu Cig Cymru last week.
In response to news that Vion is to sell off its 38 UK meat processing sites, the levy body said it was concerned that the possible closure of any of Vion’s Welsh plants would lead to animals being slaughtered in England and levy money going to EBLEX instead.
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