The CLA welcomes the new Government

The CLA Wales team will be lobbying the Welsh Government on the importance of farming, forestry, and the development of the rural economy as new administration takes shape.

Director Wales Ben Underwood says the appointment of Alun Davies AM as Deputy Minister for Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and European Programmes recognises the importance of Agriculture in Wales. He also welcomed the news that Mr Davies will be a deputy in Edwina Hart’s Business, Enterprise and Technology portfolio.

Carwyn Jones has so far appointed seven new ministers and three deputy ministers. They include Edwina Hart AM, Minister for Business, Enterprise and Technology, John Griffiths AM Minister for Environment and Sustainable Development, Huw Lewis AM Minister for Housing, Regeneration and Heritage, and Alun Davies AM Deputy Minister for Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and European Programmes.

There is confidence that as a popular former Rural Affairs Minister, Carwyn Jones, fully understands the importance of farming and its contribution to a vibrant rural economy and CLA Wales will be working hard to ensure that it is accorded due prominence in Welsh Government deliberations. He led Labour to victory in last week's assembly election, but fell one seat short of an outright majority and so there will be deals to be done and scope for astute lobbying.

Challenging times then, but Wales Director Ben Underwood and Policy Director Sue Evans will be working hard to keep our manifesto, especially with regard to planning and affordable housing to the fore and to ensure recognition that CLA members own and manage around half the rural land mass in Wales. CLA members’ views are critical as we head towards CAP reform and the implementation of Glastir. We will also want to influence decisions on possible changes and/or mergers in the Environment Agency, Countryside Council for Wales, Forestry Commission and /or Cadw.  For more information on our lobbying please see the CLA Wales Manifesto.

There are several Bills and Government measures that the CLA is likely to be lobbying on. Details are as follows (updated 27 May 2010):

Energy Bill

The CLA will be calling for the Bill to include a commitment to the Renewable Heat Incentive, increases in rates payable under the Feed-In Tariff for small-scale biogas plants and hydro-power, and a floor price for carbon measures to make the market accessible to carbon removed by land managers. The CLA will also lobby for the Bill to include incentives for energy-saving and insulation which are accessible to private landlords as well as owner-occupiers, and a reform of Ofgem to align more closely with saving carbon.

Decentralisation and Localism Bill

The CLA believes that there is a risk that this Bill could create more red tape around gaining planning permission. It is already hard enough for land managers to get planning permission for even the most harmless development in the countryside. The CLA will be lobbying hard to ensure the system does not become more burdensome. 

High-speed Broadband Connections – legislation may follow

The CLA will be urging the Government to ensure rural businesses are not left behind in the roll-out of high-speed broadband. There must be legislation for a Universal Service Obligation for broadband companies to provide two megabits per second (Mbps) to every home in the country by 2012.

Government Departments

Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) 

Caroline Spelman
The new Secretary of State for Defra has a farming background and sat on a CLA Branch Committee in the West Midlands. Her first comment is encouraging: “I will work across Government and beyond to respond to the challenges of increasing food production, adapting to climate change, protecting our natural environment and ensuring we live sustainably.”

Jim Paice
The new Minister of State for Defra had served as the Shadow Minister for Agriculture since September 2004. Prior to being elected to Parliament in 1987 Mr Paice worked as a farmer, having received a national diploma in agriculture in 1970. 

Richard Benyon
The new Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Defra was previously a Shadow Defra Minister and was educated at Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester. Richard Benyon is a Chartered Surveyor and manages the family farm. He is an active member of the CLA.

Lord Henley
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Lords has held a variety of positions both on Government and Opposition front benches. He is a barrister by profession.

Find full details of the Defra Ministerial responsibilities.

Communities and Local Government (CLG)

Eric Pickles
The new Secretary of State for the CLG is a big party hitter, which reflects the importance the Government is giving to the localism agenda. We will work hard to put across the CLA view that this must not be introduced in a way which brakes necessary and reasonable rural business development.

Greg Clark
Greg Clark, the new Minister of State for CLG was previously Shadow Energy and Climate Change Secretary.

Grant Shapps
Grant Shapps, the new Housing Minister is a former Shadow Housing Minister.

Andrew Stunell
The new Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for CLG has served as a party whip and as the Liberal Democrat's frontbench spokesperson on communities and local government. 

Bob Neill
The new Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for CLG has held previous positions as Shadow Communities and Local Government Minister, Conservative Spokesperson for London and Party Deputy Chairman with responsibility for Local Government.

Baroness Hanham
The new Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for CLG in the Lords has extensive knowledge of local politics, having been first elected to Kensington and Chelsea Borough Council in 1970. Baroness Hanham has held a number of Opposition roles including Home Affairs and Transport.

We look forward to supporting the work of the CLG team to ensure the countryside is given the chance to fulfil its economic, social and environmental potential.

Find full details of the CLG Ministerial Responsibilities.

Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC)

Chris Huhne
The new Liberal Democrat Secretary of State for the DECC was Environment spokesman in 2007 and the CLA had a lot of useful contact with him then, especially on climate change and renewables. We look forward to working with him again.

Charles Hendry
Charles Hendry, Minister of State for DECC, had served as Shadow Minister for Energy from October 2008, when the department was first created, and lists rural affairs and agriculture among his political interests.

Greg Barker
Greg Barker, Minister of State for DECC, was appointed Shadow Minister for the Environment in 2005, a role which was later changed to include a focus on climate change. In October 2008 he was transferred to Shadow DECC.

Lord Marland
The new Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for DECC in the Lords is a Life Baron, British businessman and former Treasurer of the Conservative Party. Before becoming Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for DECC, Lord Marland was Opposition Whip in the Lords as well as Opposition Spokesperson for the Cabinet Office in 2009-10.

We look forward to working with the DECC team both to help develop renewable energies and identify where the land managers can play their part in mitigating climate change.

Find full details of the DECC Ministerial responsibilities.

Coalition policies so far – our reaction

Energy

We are delighted with the commitment to anaerobic digestion. We believe an early review of the Feed-in Tariff is needed to increase take up.

Food and Farming

We would like to have seen some mention of these in the agreement, and hope that this does not indicate that the rural economy is a low priority.

Planning

We would like to have seen some reference to land use planning. There was much in the two manifestos on planning with which we agree, such as the presumption in favour of sustainable development. We will be watching the detail in other areas carefully.

Deficit reduction

The main savings will be through cutting spending rather than increased taxes. Savings could be made from a total revamp of the Rural Payments Agency, but this would be in the long term. Some expenditure, as on exotic animal disease control, flood and coastal defence and agri-environment schemes cannot safely be cut.

Tax

The idea is of differential Capital Gains Tax (CGT) rates for business and non-business assets. We believe, and will argue strongly, that let property is a business asset. We believe that this change in CGT may not prove to be the revenue raiser the coalition expects, and are considering the evidence on this.

HS2

This will go ahead. We are neutral on the question of new rail links. But we believe those affected by compulsory purchase are not treated fairly under current law. A thorough review of law and procedures is needed to ensure this changes.

EU

We welcome the commitment to engage positively with the EU. Much if not most of what affects the countryside is decided at EU level and proactive engagement is essential. We trust that there will be a fight for a CAP capable of meeting our environmental commitments and ensuring a viable farming sector.

Wildlife Corridors

The more these can be achieved through agri-environment schemes, the better.

(Posted 13 May 2010)

 The CLA has summarised the two governing party’s manifestos where their pledges impact on CLA members’ interests. Read our summaries:

• The Conservative manifesto
• The Liberal Democrat manifesto

Download PDF of Making the most of our Countryside: The CLA Manifesto for the Rural Economy