Debate contribution: Farming Families: Autumn Budget 2024
Debate contribution by Mr William Irwin on .
- MLA
- Mr William Irwin
- Party at the time
- Democratic Unionist Party
- Date
- 19 November 2024
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Private Members' Business
- Heading
- Farming Families: Autumn Budget 2024
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 4666397
Read the official Assembly record
Text
As I did in the previous debate, I declare an interest as a partner in a farm business. This is a welcome opportunity for the House to send out a united and resolute message to the Labour Government that this tax raid on farmers cannot be tolerated. I encourage all farmers, and, indeed, anyone with an interest in protecting our ability to produce food and be custodians of the environment, to record their opposition to the Treasury's callous and mad decision. I cannot recall a more direct threat to the future of farming than the decision in question. I have taken a considerable number of representations from farmers who are absolutely irate about the Labour tax raid. They see it, as I do, as a direct attack on farming. It is hard to imagine a worse or more backward policy than that which the Treasury has announced. It is vital that the decision be reversed. Last night, we witnessed 6,000 people gather at a protest meeting at the Eikon exhibition centre. The message was very clear: farmers will not simply roll over and accept this draconian and damaging attack on farming in Northern Ireland. There are further protests taking place on the mainland today, and they will also serve to focus the minds of the decision makers. As our motion clearly points out, the outworking of the new thresholds for inheritance tax and agricultural property relief will, without doubt, be to impact negatively on succession planning on farms. It is an age-old practice that, generationally, farmers hand over the reins of the farm to younger family members who, naturally, are interested in farming, thus sustaining the family farm into the future. Should Labour proceed with the changes, natural succession will be dealt a massive blow through the levying of a huge tax bill on those young people. The Labour Government are effectively ruining agriculture. That is a shocking situation to envisage. Indeed, it is so counterproductive that it is hard to imagine a more negative and industry-damaging policy looming before us. Farmers are strong on food security and committed to producing high-quality food for our population. Why risk that security of supply? On the ground, I hear very clearly that there is a requirement to send a clear message to the Labour Government that their changes must be reversed, and I stand solidly behind that message. When it comes to encouraging new entrants into farming, can you think of a greater discouragement to a young man who wants to continue to build on the hard work of his father than a half a million pounds tax bill? What a catastrophic and ill-thought-out policy by the Treasury. There must be an urgent refocusing, and Labour must place a new priority on farming in order to ensure that the UK, of which Northern Ireland is an integral part, is not left high and dry when it comes to its ability to produce food. We must not become a nation of consumers who rely on other countries for our food. That would be a foolish and negative development, yet it is a potential outcome of this bad Treasury policy. As our motion also illustrates, there is deep discontent with the Chancellor's decision not to ring-fence farm support budgets or to increase funding in line with inflation. That again speaks to Labour's lack of understanding of farming. I encourage the AERA Minister and the Finance Minister to ensure that the level of financial support will be maintained and, in the coming financial years, increased. There is much work to do. For the good of the agri-food industry, it is time to meet the challenges head-on.
611 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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