Cash cows

With regards to the debate on these pages about agricultural levies, the UK’s own Radcliffe Review stated that levies on stock should go to the country in which the stock was born and reared, to support that marketing body.

The levy is collected at the abattoir and should then, under the UK’s own terms, be sent to the relevant marketing board.

The fact that slaughter of Scottish-born and reared stock may take place in England does not remove the duty to return these monies to Quality Meat Scotland, rather than keeping it for the use of the English marketing equivalent. Legally and morally, all levies on stock should be “repatriated” to the country of birth and rearing, wherever in the UK it is slaughtered. The abattoirs have had the business, and the revenue has gone to the Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs, so it is Defra that has a duty to pass it on to the relevant marketing board, in line with stated UK policy.

The Radcliffe Review was seven years ago and the failure duly to return the £1.4 million annually levied is contrary to the even-handedness required of a United Kingdom parliament.

Susan FG Forde

Main Street

Scotlandwell, Kinross-shire