Good news for farmers as Douglas Ross secures an assurance silage wrap won't be hit by plastic tax
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Moray MP Douglas Ross has welcomed a u-turn from the UK Government which means silage film will now not be hit by the tax on plastic packaging.
Mr Ross had engaged closely with the National Farmers Union of Scotland on the issue before making his concerns known to the Treasury in a recent Westminster Hall debate.
He described the plans by HMRC to hit silage film with the tax as completely wrong, given that agriculture only accounts for three per cent of plastic use across the United Kingdom, and silage film is only a small proportion of that.
He also challenged the Exchequer to the Secretary Helen Whately MP during the debate over how farmers were being impacted by the tax, highlighting how the film is needed to produce silage.
A letter from the Exchequer Secretary has confirmed silage film will not be hit by the tax.
Mr Ross said: “Farmers would have been hugely impacted by this tax which was deeply unfair. Coming from a farming background and having taken the plastic off many bales over the years, I know how crucial it is for our industry.
“You simply cannot produce silage without easy access to silage film so I’m glad the government has listened to MPs who raised concerns along with NFU Scotland and others.
“It was misguided to impose this tax on silage film in the first place given how the agriculture sector plays a very small part in plastic use across the country.
“I am sure farmers across our rural communities will welcome this decision from the UK Government and I’m glad that the industry’s engagement coupled with the debate I participated in has brought about this change.”
