Plant and Seed Nurseries: Northern Ireland

23 Apr

Question

The Question session in the House of Commons focused on the challenges and recent developments around the movement of plants and seeds from Scottish nurseries to Northern Ireland under the Windsor Framework arrangements. These debates have been influenced heavily by Brexit-related changes and concerns surrounding the regulatory hurdles it presents.

1. Key Content and Contributions

Robin Swann, UUP, South Antrim: Questioned the support for Scottish plant and seed nurseries in trading with Northern Ireland, highlighting specific challenges faced by companies such as McIntyre Fruit and Ewing’s Seafoods, which report it being easier to ship to Japan than Northern Ireland.
Kirsty McNeill: Responded by explaining that Scottish businesses, thanks to the Northern Ireland plant health label, have benefited, enabling movements like those of 1,500 tonnes of seed potatoes from GB to NI. Confirmed the existence of a horticultural working group addressing such issues. McNeill confirmed willingness to engage with Swann to alleviate bureaucratic burdens.
Chris Kane, Labour, Stirling and Strathallan: Highlighted Scotland's prowess in potato production, underlying the economic and cultural importance of maintaining robust support for supply chains connecting growers with local businesses.

1,500 tonnes

Amount of seed potatoes moved from GB to NI due to the plant health label benefit.

2. Outcome
The session concluded with commitments from Kirsty McNeill indicating a readiness to engage with affected businesses and stakeholders, such as through arranging meetings aimed at reducing administrative burdens.

40-foot container

Size of container returned from Belfast to Scotland owing to paperwork errors.

3. Key Statistics

Over 1,500 tonnes of seed potatoes moved last year.
Ewing’s Seafoods experienced administrative issues with a 40-foot container leading to significant financial losses.

Outcome

The debate advanced the discussion on procedural and logistical hurdles that businesses in Scotland and Northern Ireland face post-Brexit, especially around horticulture and seafood industries. The commitment to meetings and the existence of a working group may help in addressing these issues.

Key Contributions

Robin Swann

UUP

Queried support adequacy for Scottish nurseries post-Windsor Framework.

Kirsty McNeill

Highlighted how Northern Ireland plant health label eased Scottish-northern seed movement.

Chris Kane

Labour

Recognized the cultural and economic importance of Scottish potato supply to local businesses.

Original Transcript

Robin Swann

South Antrim

UUP

Question

UIN: 903744

5. What assessment he has made of the adequacy of support available to Scottish plant and seed nurseries to sell products to Northern Ireland.

Robin Swann

11:55

As the Minister will know, according to McIntyre Fruit in Scotland, which also sells plants, it is easier to supply Japan than to send plants to Coleman’s garden centre in my constituency, and the same company is now seeing orders cancelled in Northern Ireland.

At the weekend, Ewing’s Seafoods, Northern Ireland’s oldest fishmonger, had a 40-foot container filled with hundreds of thousands of pounds of fresh fish returned from Belfast to Scotland owing to administrative paperwork errors on seven boxes.

Will the Minister, or the Secretary of State, meet me and representatives of those companies to discuss what can be done to ease the bureaucratic burden on both Northern Ireland and Scottish business?

Kirsty McNeill

11:55

I would be delighted to meet the hon.

Gentleman, but let me reassure him: the horticultural working group, co-chaired by senior officials from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Cabinet Office, was set up specifically to tackle issues involving the movement of seeds to consumers in Northern Ireland as a first priority.

The hon. Gentleman has also mentioned other topics, and I should be happy to meet him to discuss them, too.

The working group meets regularly to address such issues, and includes representatives of the Ulster Farmers Union, the National Farmers Union and the Horticultural Trades Association, as well as business leaders and representatives of a small number of other horticultural businesses.

Chris Kane

Stirling and Strathallan

Lab

Scotland produces world-class potatoes, which are supplied to our iconic fish and chip shops, such as the Real Food Café and the Green Welly Stop in Tyndrum, Vincenzo’s Fish and Chips in Stirling—its fish supper won an award last year—and Corrieri’s in Causewayhead; Robert and Peter Corrieri will retire this year after decades of service.

Will the Minister recognise their value to our local economies, and assure me that more can be done to support the supply chains linking Scottish growers with these much-loved businesses?

Kirsty McNeill

11:55

As my hon. Friend knows, potatoes are a staple of our national dish, haggis, neeps and tatties. They are also a staple of my favourite breakfast, the dry potato scone. I am delighted to join my hon.

Friend in recognising all the fish and chip shops in his constituency, and I would be delighted to accept invitations to a tour of fish and chip shops from any colleague on either side of the House who recognises their vital contribution.

← North Sea Oil and Gas Licences: Economic Growth Exports: Impact of US Tariffs →

Terms Privacy Data Source

All content derived from official parliamentary records