From John Andrews, Chairman Friends of the Quantocks
On 5th December, I wrote on our behalf to Ian Liddell-Grainger and Rebecca Pow, the two MPs whose constituencies cover the AONB, to ask what their positions are on two matters that will affect the Quantocks for good or ill. One is the “bonfire of regulations” that will enable Ministers to amend or abolish laws derived from the EU and which include the protection for our Quantock oakwoods. The other is the matter of future support for pastoral farming, affecting livelihoods, landscape and wildlife to say nothing of food production, and on which DEFRA has repeatedly delayed decisions. Reasonable concerns to raise with our MPs, I thought, especially as Ian Liddell-Grainger regularly writes in the Western Daily Press on matters affecting local farming and Rebecca Pow is DEFRA’s Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environmental Quality and Resilience.
Neither having replied by last week – I had given them a generous allowance for Xmas and New Year – I send both a reminder. Rebecca Pow’s Office replied to say “I passed this on to Rebecca’s DEFRA office back in December and I’ve just been in touch with them again to seek an update with regards to a response to your email. I’ll let you know as soon as they come back to me.” I thanked him and live in hopes. But still no reply at all from Liddell-Grainger. What conclusion should we draw from that?
If you want to see my letters, read on…..
Dear Mr Liddell-Grainger,
You will recall that we wrote to you on 30th September stressing how important farming is to the character of the Quantocks AONB and expressing concern about mixed messages from DEFRA. Now we are increasingly worried that, given the present economic issues, the still unannounced and presumably undecided detail of changes in support for good environmental measures will fall short of delivering for both profitable pastoral agriculture and the natural beauty of this area.
We are also very concerned by the potential of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill to undo much progress in effective protection for wildlife, including the habitats such as the Exmoor and Quantocks oak woodlands that not only protect rare species but also provide a wonderful landscape and recreational resource. This may occur not only by intent, which at this point we do not rule out, but because of the scale of the task in repealing or replacing this body of law without error against an absurdly short deadline. How, given DEFRA’s leisurely approach to deciding the detail of ELMS, for example, does it expect to review the vast body of relevant legislation in that time period?
And when they fail to do so, Ministers will have the power to clarify, consolidate and restate retained law, thus effectively re-writing it without proper Parliamentary consideration and debate.
Our members would be very interested to know your views on these matters and if you are continuing to press DEFRA to deliver for both pastoral farming and the natural environment of Somerset’s protected landscapes.
____________________________
Dear Rebecca Pow,
I chair Friends of Quantock, a charity that works to help maintain the natural beauty of the Quantocks AONB. We are increasingly worried that, given the present economic situation, the still unannounced and presumably undecided detail of changes in support for good environmental measures in agriculture will fall short of delivering for the profitable pastoral farming that we need here.
We wish to see farming profitable for the welfare of all who work in it, for food safety and because it maintains the landscape that we value but I need not tell you this cannot be done unless the support is well-informed and adequately funded.
We are also very concerned by the potential of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill to undo much progress in effective protection for wildlife, including the habitats such as the Exmoor and Quantocks oak woodlands that, as you well know, not only protect rare species but also provide a wonderful landscape and recreational resource. This may occur not only by intent, which at this point we do not rule out, but because of the enormous scale of the task in repealing or replacing this body of law without error against an absurdly short deadline. Can DEFRA be expected to review the relevant legislation in that time period?
And should it fail to do, Ministers will have the power to clarify, consolidate and restate retained law, thus effectively re-writing it without proper Parliamentary consideration and debate. This worries us too.
Our members would be very interested to know your informed views on these matters. Can you reassure us that DEFRA will deliver for both pastoral farming and the natural environment of Somerset’s protected landscapes?
John Andrews. Chairman, Friends of Quantock, Church House, Crowcombe, TA4 4AA