Salmond calls on Cameron to settle meat levy dispute
Scotland’s first minister Alex Salmond has joined the red meat levy battle calling for money for Scottish animals slaughtered south of the border to be returned to Scotland.
Mr Salmond has written to prime minister David Cameron, renewing calls for the UK government to repatriate levy money to Scotland – an estimated £1.4m is lost as a result of animals being slaughtered in England.
“Changing the current red meat levy system is plain common sense,” said Mr Salmond, speaking at the Turriff Show yesterday (4 August). “Figures show Scotland’s farming industry has now made a full real-term recovery following the devastating BSE outbreak more than two decades ago.
“Giving our industry the money that is rightfully owed to them would help the sector continue to grow, and I have today written to the prime minister to ask him to act now to do the right thing for Scottish livestock producers.”
NFU Scotland president Nigel Miller said: “The issue of levy repatriation is a long-running sore and, given the increased number of Scottish store cattle, prime lambs and pigs making their way to other parts of Great Britain, frustration is growing.”
Seven years had passed since the Radcliffe review of agricultural levy bodies suggested that statutory monies should be returned to promotional bodies in an animal’s country of birth, he said.
“Dislocation of levy funds is a GB-wide issue, given the significant trade that exists between countries and, in the interim, it needs a GB solution,” said Mr Miller.
Both Scottish and Welsh farming bodies have repeatedly called for levy money repatriation to prevent lost levy from Scottish and Welsh animals slaughtered in England.
Responding, a DEFRA spokesperson said: “Much of the money raised through red meat levies benefits the Scottish industry, in particular the £7m used to promote British meat to UK and export markets.
“We are looking at alternative levy options, but are clear that any change must not place additional burdens on businesses.”
Scottish levy money row continues