Farming minister's pledge to county MPs

Daniel Kawczynski, MP for Shrewsbury and Atcham, has set up the new group for English MPs along the Welsh border to tackle problems he says are being caused by devolution.

This week the group, which also includes North Shropshire MP Owen Paterson and Ludlow MP Philip Dunne, met with Mrs Prentis to discuss issues surrounding different farming policies in England and Wales.

Mr Kawczynski said the minister had pledged to look at the issues raised, including measures to tackle bovine TB and different policies regarding post-Brexit farming subsidies on either side of the border.

He said many farmers had land on both sides of the border, and the increasing divergence of policies were creating much confusion and bureaucracy.

Mr Kawczynski said Mrs Prentis had agreed to hold regular meetings with the group, with the next one likely to be next month. He said it had also been agreed to invite MPs from Welsh border constituencies along too, to ensure real cross-border co-operation.

"As Cardiff and London diverge as a result of devolution, this is causing difficulties for border communities like ours," he said.

"The Welsh Parliament has different policies on bovine TB, on agriculture subsidies, and on animal welfare, and I'm very worried about the impact it may have on Shropshire farmers.

"Many farmers are having to deal with both the Welsh and UK governments, and the amount of paperwork they have to handle is horrendous."

Mr Kawczynski said while the UK Government was committed to ending subsidies to English farmers in seven years time, the Welsh government planned to continue with them.

He said this would make it impossible for English farmers to compete with their neighbours across the border.

Mr Kawczynski said he was particularly concerned that the Agriculture Bill, described by the National Farmers’ Union as the most wide-ranging legislation on farming since 1947, would hand more power to the devolved Welsh administration.

“As power is being brought back from Brussels, it is being transferred to the Welsh parliament because agriculture is a devolved matter,” he said.

Mr Kawczynski said Mrs Prentis had agreed to attend next year's West Midlands Show, and had also promised to look at solutions to the problems raised.

"It was a very constructive meeting, also attended by MPs from Cheshire and Herefordshire," he said.

"Several other MPs sent their apologies, but said they would like to be involved in future, so I think it will form a very powerful voice."