As we look towards the end of 2024 and the first six months of the new government, we wanted to draw breath and feed back on some of the work we have been doing in Westminster and beyond.
While we continue to engage with government officials on specific programmes of work, so much of what happens in Westminster is built on relationships, and specifically building a network of supportive MPs who are willing to go in to bat for you in the Palace of Westminster.
Following the election earlier this year, there are now 335 new MPs in Westminster, meaning more than half of the Commons is brand new. While this presents a challenge for us at the NPA, it also provides an opportunity to positively engage and educate a whole new cohort of MPs about our sector for the very first time.
While there are so many issues that we would like to raise with MPs, it is important that we keep focused and don’t overload new MPs with information, as well as having asks of backbenchers that are actually within their powers.
We continue to raise the threat of African swine fever (ASF) and our biosecurity and borders with all MPs. It is important we ensure ASF and its potential damage to our industry remains on the radar of government, as well as pointing out the vulnerabilities in our national biosecurity owing to the rise in illegal and banned meat products being brought into the country.
Within Westminster, we have had meetings with 10 MPs, giving us that chance to really get into the details of a subject and provide policymakers with the chance
to ask questions in return in a confidential setting.
Beyond this, we have been engaging with a further 18 MPs, at events like party conferences or through their offices. We are in the process of trying to fix dates to meet with some of them, and many of them have also written to ministers and tabled questions in parliament on our behalf.
APPG discussion
About 120t of illegally imported pigmeat has now been seized at Dover, and the case studies we talked through left members shocked at the scale of the challenge the team there faces.
Similarly, a couple of weeks ago I was pleased to join Tom Bradshaw (NFU), Robert Martin (TFA) and Gavin Lane (CLA) as part of a private roundtable discussion with members of the new Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee.
We discussed all matters relating to the future of farming in the UK, as well as the work of the committee. While matters relating to the Budget, farm payments, planning and staffing were raised by all four of us, I was also keen to press the importance of the committee once again looking at the UK’s biosecurity picture and the adequacy of our border protection measures.
MPs on farms
Finally, the jewel in the crown has been the chance to get MPs out on farms across the country.
In September, we had John Cooper MP out in south-west Scotland, and then in October, we had Brian Matthew MP out in Wiltshire and Patrick Spencer MP with us in Suffolk. Most recently, in November we had Sir Alec Shelbrooke MP on farm in his Yorkshire constituency.
While these kinds of visits are always tricky to pull together, both in terms of diaries and biosecurity, they offer an invaluable opportunity to show MPs what farmers in their constituency do.
Many will have never seen a pig in their lives, let alone a commercial farm, and it gives us the chance to cut through the narrative they will have received from the various anti-farming groups out there.
Looking ahead to next year, we have a few more farm visits in the diary and we are keen to get more of those who we have met with out on to farms as well.
Equally, if any NPA members are keen to host their local MPs, please get in touch and we can help facilitate such a visit.
