Farming inquiry launches

Alistair Carmichael MP.

An inquiry into the future of farming launches today to examine the budget’s potential impact on farmers.

The environment, food and rural affairs committee will look at the policies driving the agricultural sector’s most significant periods of change.

Evidence sessions will be held next week, which will scrutinise proposed changes to agricultural property relief and business property relief.

Committee chairman is isles MP Alistair Carmichael.  

“During this parliament the government will make major decisions on the environment, farming, food security and rural communities that will affect us all,” he said.

“Through our future of farming inquiry, our committee will examine the realities of the issues that farming communities and the agricultural sector are facing.

“Since the announcement in the budget about the changes to agricultural property relief, there has been an enormous amount of concern amongst the farming community that the viability and future of their farms are at risk.  

“The number of farms that will be affected has been disputed between different groups, and in our evidence session next week I hope that we might shed some light on the predicted figures.

“For this debate to move on we need to understand the basis of competing claims and that is a job for which the select committee is ideally suited. 

“The committee has chosen to take a strategic and long-term approach to its work, and so we are opening an ongoing inquiry to be ready to respond to developments as they arise.”