Government not understanding gravity of family farm tax - Robin Swann

In the response from the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury (James Murray MP) thanked Mr Swann for raising the issue on behalf of Northern Ireland’s residents and said: “The Government’s commitment to farmers and the vital role they play in feeding our nation remains steadfast. The Government recognise the concerns raised by the farming community, including those in Northern Ireland, and UK Government Ministers have met with the Ulster Farmers’ Union since the Budget to listen to their concerns. The Government are aware of the strength of feeling in Northern Ireland and elsewhere.”

Mr Swann said the response again dismissed the DAERA figures on the scale of the impact on Northern Ireland’s farmers saying:

It stated: “The Government are aware of the analysis undertaken by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in relation to the potential impacts in Northern Ireland of the reforms to these reliefs. However, the Government remain firmly of the view that claims data is the correct way to understand an inheritance tax liability. The Government’s analysis of the number of estates across the UK expected to be affected by reforms is underpinned by that data.”

The Government summarised their response with the following: “The Government understand the concerns raised in the petition, but believe our approach gets the balance right between supporting farms and fixing the public finances in a fair way. The reforms reduce the inheritance tax advantages available to owners of agricultural and business assets, but still mean those assets will be taxed at a much lower effective rate than most other assets. Despite a tough fiscal context, the Government will maintain very significant levels of relief from inheritance tax beyond what is available to others and compared with the position before 1992.”

The South Antrim MP said following this response: “This is a disappointing response and yet another example of the Government not understanding the gravity of their decision empty the pockets of our farmers.

“Thousands of farmers from across Northern Ireland and, of course, the wider UK have voiced their concern about the devasting impact that this tax could have on so many of our family farms. I will continue to use every parliamentary process available to me to stop this Treasury cash grab, and I thank the Ulster Farmers’ Union for the fight they have continued to put up against this unjust tax.”