Meeting of the Parliament 25 March 2026 [Draft]
I thought that Christine Grahame’s last contribution was going to be yesterday, but here she is, back again and making sure that she continues to represent her constituents.
Christine Grahame is absolutely right to make the point that she has made. She is correct that London does not understand Scottish agriculture and what the food and drink sector in Scotland is delivering. We are supporting and protecting the farming sector with the powers that we have. That is in stark contrast with policies in other parts of these islands.
We continue to provide our farmers and crofters with the most generous package of support, worth more than £660 million per annum. That support is vital in underpinning food production and helping businesses to deal with a wide range of issues, from supply chain shocks to volatile commodity markets. The published rural support plan now provides the industry with certainty for the years ahead, so it should have the confidence to invest for the long term.