Inter-Ministerial Group for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: November 2024

Attendees and apologies

• Daniel Zeichner MP, Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs at DEFRA
• Mairi Gougeon MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands from the Scottish Government
• Jim Fairlie MSP, Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity from the Scottish Government
• Huw Irranca-Davies MS, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs from the Welsh Government 
• Andrew Muir MLA, Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs from the Northern Ireland Executive

Items and actions

The Inter-Ministerial Group for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (IMG EFRA) met on Monday 18 November by video conference. 

The meeting was chaired by Jim Fairlie MSP, Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity. 

The attending ministers were: 

• (from the UK Government) Daniel Zeichner MP, Minister of State (Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs) 
• (from the Scottish Government) Mairi Gougeon MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands and Jim Fairlie MSP, Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity 
• (from the Welsh Government) Huw Irranca-Davies MS, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs 
• (from the Northern Ireland Executive) Andrew Muir MLA, Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs 

The meeting opened with a discussion on the UK budget where the UK Government highlighted the challenging financial situation inherited from the previous administration. Ministers from the devolved governments were disappointed that the funding settlement did not reverse real term cuts or provide multi-year certainty and advised that Barnett allocations were not appropriate given the significant role of agriculture and marine sectors in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Ministers discussed the implications of the removal of ring-fencing, introduction of new tax provisions, and the concerns within the farming community, urging the UK Government to engage in four-nation dialogue and with stakeholders on addressing impacts arising for the agriculture, rural and marine sectors. Ministers agreed on the importance of exchanging data and insights to deepen understanding of the potential impacts and consequences for each part of the UK and support long-term policy development.  

Following this, ministers agreed to hold a series of detailed policy discussions over the next year on areas for enhanced collaboration between the four governments. Ministers noted the importance of data-driven evidence, alongside policy and delivery insights in informing policy to benefit businesses and citizens across the UK. Potential discussions would include food security and environmental land management, reducing waste and pollution and moving to a circular economy, scientific research including on tackling water pollution, biosecurity and reducing barriers to trade, halting and reversing biodiversity loss, and investment in nature recovery through the development and operation of nature market frameworks. Ministers agreed to add bovine tuberculosis to this work programme. 

The group then discussed implementation of the Border Target Operating Model and the importance of controls to protect biosecurity, public health and economies across the UK. Moving on to discuss potential negotiations on developing a UK-EU sanitary and phytosanitary/veterinary agreement, the ministers supported addressing barriers to trade with the EU and agreed the need for continuing close intergovernmental engagement at technical, policy and ministerial levels as the work progressed. 

The final substantive item was on the impact of labour shortages in the environment, food and rural affairs sectors where ministers emphasised concerns within their nations and discussed the need for effective joint working in addressing similar but distinct challenges across the four nations. 

A wide range of other business included discussions on the role of the Groceries Code Adjudicator, DEFRA’s thinking on neonicotinoid pesticides, considerations on banning the sale of horticultural peat, food strategies across the UK, Welsh applications for UK geographical indications and Northern Ireland Government’s intention to review its environmental governance. 

The next meeting will take place in January 2025.