Animal health budget devolved

Scottish farmers last night welcomed the announcement that the country's share of the UK animal health and welfare budget is to be devolved.

This follows protracted negotiations during which Scotland and Wales have had responsibility for animal health matters while the UK government has continued to hold the purse strings.

Scotland's share of the budget in the financial year commencing in April will be 21.03 million but this will fall to 17.85m over the next four years in line with the fall in the budget of the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) as part of the UK government's spending review.

"This long overdue move to sit the animal health and welfare budget alongside policy making in Scotland is to be welcomed," said NFU Scotland president, Nigel Miller.