Tom Arthur, MSP has warned that the Westminster Government’s amendments to Westminster’s EU Withdrawal Bill pose a significant threat to Renfrewshire South’s food sector.
The amendments published last week to Westminster’s EU Withdrawal Bill could prevent the Scottish Parliament from legislating to protect farming, food standards, plant health and the environment for up to seven years, fundamentally undermining the Scottish devolution settlement.
This follows a statement from the president of America’s National Farmers’ Union last week supporting the view that chlorine-washed chicken and hormone-injected beef should be part of a UK/US free trade deal. Lowering food standards in Renfrewshire South is not only a public health risk, it will tarnish Scotland’s reputation for high-quality produce and put our food producers at a competitive disadvantage.
Tom Arthur, SNP MSP for Renfrewshire South, said: “The amendments to the EU Withdrawal Bill are wholly inadequate. The legislation still represents an assault on devolution, enabling the Tories to do whatever they want to Renfrewshire South’s food industry and get away with it.
“These amendments would take powers over farming support, plant health, food standards and the environment away from the Scottish Parliament for seven years. The Bill as it stands would allow the Tories to dictate policy on key issues, like funding for farming and environmental rules without Scotland having a say or the power to prevent harm being done to the interests of Renfrewshire South’s .
“The food and drink sector in Renfrewshire South is a huge success, built on the quality of the produce. That provenance of product is key to our export success and we cannot let cheap US imports, enabled by this Tory Government, undermine that.
“Michael Gove has repeatedly refused to guarantee that his Government won’t impose frameworks on Scotland that could force these second-rate products onto our supermarket shelves, and we need to take a stand against this.”