James Evans MS has questioned the Welsh Government on what support they are giving to young farmers across Wales.
In a question to the First Minister Eluned Morgan MS, James highlighted how the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs Huw Irranca-Davies MS’ had not wrote to his counterpart in Westminster a full three months after farming unions raised their concerns about the changes being made to Agricultural Inheritance Tax and Business Property Relief.
James questioned whether the Welsh Government truly understands the concerns felt by the farming community across Wales, and just what they plan to do protect the future of young farmers against UK Labour’s damaging plans that could drive many out of the industry.
James Evans MS, Senedd Member for Brecon and Radnorshire, said:
“With the impending removal of Agricultural Inheritance Relief and Business Property Relief, many of our young farmers have been left facing an uncertain future – not knowing whether their family farm will still exist when the time comes to take it over.
“It’s bewildering that the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary took three full months to write to his Labour colleagues in Westminster after the Farming Unions first raised concerns, and a further two months after the Welsh Conservatives raised the matter for debate on the 27th November. This just further proves Welsh Labour are not friends of our farmers.
“The Welsh Labour Government can say all they want about their support schemes, but without our generational farmers, those schemes will never succeed. I’ve asked what they plan to do to protect our family farms and ensure the young generation of farmers stay in the industry – but like everything the Welsh Government does, their response was all words with no promises of action!”
