Oral Answers to Questions

John Cooper Excerpts

Wednesday 9th July 2025 Commons Chamber

[Aphra Brandreth (Chester South and Eddisbury) (Con)]

5. What discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on supporting Scottish agriculture.

[John Cooper (Dumfries and Galloway) (Con)]

14. What discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on supporting Scottish agriculture.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland (Kirsty McNeill)]

Scotland cultivates the very best produce in the world, and we are absolutely committed to supporting Scotland’s agricultural sector and, indeed, all those who live and work in our rural communities. I was very pleased that the Scottish Government’s Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity joined me for a food and farming roundtable that I hosted in Edinburgh in April. We heard directly from the sector about how Scotland’s two Governments can best collaborate and continue to support those who put food on our table.

--- Later in debate ---

[Kirsty McNeill]

The Scottish Government have been given a record settlement in the devolution era, and it is for the devolved Governments to allocate their funding in devolved areas as they see fit. They are accountable to their own legislatures and, indeed, the Scottish public. That is a key principle of devolution, and this Labour Government will respect it.

[John Cooper]

We Conservatives were vilified when we pointed out that the vindictive changes to farming reliefs were going to damage jobs in rural Scotland. The Scotland Office conducted its own roundtable with agriculture figures. Will the Minister share the results of that with the House, the Scottish Government and, crucially, whoever the Deputy Prime Minister decides will be the next Chancellor of the Exchequer?

[Kirsty McNeill]

I would be delighted to report back to the House and Scotland’s rural communities, including my own in Midlothian, about the outcomes of the farming roundtable. We heard directly from stakeholders that they want support and, crucially, for the two Governments to work together, which is exactly why we had the Scottish Government around the table.