Ruth Davidson's Address

It was not surprising that she claimed that after the most recent elections that Conservatives were the best party to represent rural and agricultural interests.

After listing a number of MSPs from her party at Holyrood, RD said that Conservatives were absolutely committed to ensure that Scotlands farmers have a voice in the Scottish Parliament and that our members can put the case from a position of being farmers themselves.

“As a group of MSPs we are determined to hold the Government to account, as we did last year with the CAP payments fiasco and we also want to be your voice in UK wide discussions so that Scottish farming can be heard loud and clear.

“These are two roles that I believe will be of huge importance as we approach the coming tumulus months. Britain's decision to leave the European Union has so far thrown up more questions than answers. Here in a Scotland that uncertainty has been compounded by the SNPs decision to use Brexit to raise the possibility of a second referendum on independence.

“I know that both of these issues are of huge importance to Scotlands farming community so I will address my remarks on these two issues.

“First of all Brexit. As most of you know I campaigned to remain within the European Union. I did so because I felt that it offered the most stable way forward for our country. Now that the referendum has taken place we have to respect the result.

“I now feel a responsibility to get the best deal that we can to ensure the Britain gets the best deal we can as we leave the European Union. That means tackling the challenges that clearly arise as well as seizing the opportunities that exist.

“There is a genuine opportunity to reset the framework for better. It is surely possible to design a better support system than one that has to accommodate farmers on the shores of the Mediterranean and also on the fringes of the Artic Circle. What is more it is surely possible to design a system here in Scotland that does not waste £180m on IT.

“A new system should also make it easier to get goods to market by stripping out some of the regulation that overburdens you right now. The EU has increasingly turning its back in recent treats on scientific evidence when it comes to imposing regulations on farmers.

“I trust that the nature of approach will be less needlessly meddlesome and will allow you to get your goods to market more easily.

“Many of you are concerned about whether you will continue to have open access to those markets. I can assure you that our priority will be to do all that I can to help secure a full comprehensive trade deal with the European Union that has been proposed by the Prime Minister.

“If nothing else Brexit will focus our minds on how Britain and Scotland sells itself to those markets. We will turn our attention to maximising Scotlands trading opportunities. As regards the Scottish Government I would like to see their own efforts increasend ensure that Scottish products are available, the world over.

“Currently we have one Scottish Development International Office in the whole of Latin America. As we get ready for Brexit I think that we should do more to ensure that we are ready to take advantage of such commercial markets.

“That has huge relevance to farmers as well as for other sectors. There are markets where consumers want the kind of high quality produce that your farms produce.”

Having set out the opportunities Ruth Davidson turned to the concerns that had been raised to her from all over Scotland.

“Firstly on immigration, I know from speaking to farmers over the last few months that people are concerned about the impact on labour. We know that between 5000 to 16000 season workers from the EU are employed in the Scottish agricultural sector at any one time. I know that the impact that a cut in the workforce might have on for example Scotlands food sector in particular. I know that the response in some quarters is that Scotland should have its own immigration policy. I also note that the concerns of vegetable farmers in Fife are the same as those of daffodil farmers in Cornwall.

“The answer is not separate immigration policy by region of geography. We need an immigration policy that works for sectors of the economy with agriculture at the top of the list. I can assure you that the GB Government recognises this issue and I intend to press them on it..

“For me it is simple, managing immigration is right, depriving the economy of labour is not.

“Secondly on Support payments. I know that many of you are worried about what happens when we leave the CAP, concerned that are particularly acute in Scotland where we know that support payment are more important than elsewhere in the UK.

“In discussions with UK ministers I do believe that there is clear recognition of the distinctive role and needs of Scottish farming. Not just a matter of economics but as something that will ensure communities are viable.”

Ruth gave assurance that she will press the case George Eustace and Andrea Leadsome as forceably as she could.

“Thirdly on devolution. There has been much talk about where power should lie when it comes back from Europe. My approach to this will be quite rational. I think it will be full hardy for us to place barriers within our own domestic market. I do not see the upside in leaving one complex regulatory regime in Brussels only to burden farmers with two regulatory regimes in the U.K.

“At the same time I think it is vital that the distinctive needs of Scottish farmers are heard. I am sure that there will be a mighty political row over the coming months over whether Westminster or Holyrood should be running agriculture.

“I do not actually see it as a choice increasingly we are moving towards shared power in the UK, we have seen that with welfare provision in Scotland and I don't see why that can't work elsewhere..

“Lastly let me briefly mention the business rates. Some of you have raised your fears with me that the Governments review of business rates will result in an end to current exemptions for agricultural land and buildings. We will of course have to wait and see the details of the Barclay review and what it comes back with.

“For me these exemptions exist for good reasons and ending them is not something that my party will ever support. If it does get proposed I do promise to fight it tooth and nail.

“Over the next few months my focus will be on what works. One of the options likely to be put in front of us here in Scotland is to leave the EU negotiations altogether and for Scotland and Ireland to pursue a so called differentiated deal with the UK or to leave the UK itself. Neither approach seems to me works in the interests of Scottish farming.

“In the Brexit debate we have been guilty sometimes of treating the European Single Market and our own UK domestic market as if they are exactly the same. They are not.

“Laying aside all the emotional and historical arguments for the Union the reality is that the UK is a highly integrated economic unit of which Scotland is a part and upon which our prosperity depends AND where 85% of Scotlands agri exports go.

“As Neil Francis, the Director of Scottish Trade International, the Scottish Government's own export body says 'why would we try and make it more difficult to trade with our largest trading partner or reduce the amount of trade that we do with the rest of the UK?' He added 'whatever circumstances come out it will be paramount to protect trade for the open market with the rest of the UK.'

“There is absolutely no way that a differentiated deal can guarantee it or independence will keep that market fully open. In fact the evidence suggests that restrictions that would come into force between us and our most important market of all.

“Charles Grant a member of the Scottish Government's own Standing Council has said 'if Scotland is in the European Single Market with the rest of the UK out, there would need to be one set of business regulations in England and another applied to Scotland' something that it hardly likely to help farmers get to market.

“For this reason and for many many others I do not believe that our response to leaving the European Union should be to once again examine whether to leave our own union. That is a view that is now gathering support.”

RD suggested that people in Scotland did not have an appetite for another referendum and the uncertainty that creates. She ended with a thank you:-

“Thank you all for the work that you do day in and day out, not just to keep Scottish agriculture going but to ensure that 'Made in Scotland' serves as a charter mark for quality produce. I know full well the hardship that at times you face.

“As I said last week I believe that we need to face Brexit with the spirit of the entrepreneur. Looking to use our moment of crisis to find the opportunities come the change. This has always been the approach taken by Scotland's farming community, to turn challenges into opportunities and keep Rural Scotland productive.”

Question re Brexit, the only certain thing about it that nothing is going to be certain. It is going to involve change within the agricultural industry. That change is best done with a good knowledge base. We have institutions that are held in high esteem for their research and development work. A great deal of their funding and partnerships are with organisations in the rest of Europe. How do you foresee that in future there will be the same level of support for these institutions after we are out of Europe.

RD confirmed that research like at Moredun Institute would continue. “We need to make sure that we have collaboration that works. I have not seen anybody suggest that would stop. Why should it when we have non EU countries that are involved already.

“Universities in Israel are already part of that research community, at University and also specialist level. I do not see why they would want to lose us or us cut themselves off from them.

“There is absolutely commitment from the UK Government to ensure that the levels of funding are there. Experience tells us that when it comes to academic collaboration, scientific collaboration and practical application, there are people who work together all around the world whether they are in or out of the current structures of the European Union.”