Welsh Conservative Shadow Minister Samuel Kurtz has accused the First Minister of Wales of a ‘dereliction of duty' when it comes to raising Welsh farmers' concerns over Inheritance Tax proposals.
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Speaking in the Senedd debate on (March 5), Mr Kurtz said he had challenged Eluned Morgan in a letter on whether she brought up farmers' concerns over the family farm tax in a meeting with the Chancellor Rachel Reeves and the Secretary State of Wales.
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Inheritance Tax
Mr Kurtz said he was told in a written response from the First Minister that the Inheritance Tax was a reserved tax and decisions about the tax and associated reliefs are a 'matter for the UK Government' and that the Deputy First Minister, Huw Irranca-Davies continues to raise the issue.
Mr Kurtz said: "The First Minister, in meeting with the Chancellor bringing forward this very policy refuses to raise the impact that this would have on Welsh farmers. That is a dereliction of duty, in the respect that she should afford all of Wales as being the First Minister of all of Wales. I do not think that is acceptable."
Treasury
Mr Kurtz said the right thing to is to stand up and say, 'This does not work, because of the evidence that we have heard'. He said it was about time that more members of the Senedd stood up for farmers and the Welsh Government gave farmers' a voice over the IHT policy.
But he criticised the questionable views held by Labour backbenchers around agriculture.
Labour Welsh Government
"We heard it here today: one member saying that we are all millionaires, talking about farmers. I had it two weeks ago that I need to go back to the young farmers. Another member saying that, if you have got TB, 'Well, find another job.' That is what backbench Labour MSs think."
Mr Kurtz said a Freedom of Information Request confirmed that there had been only one letter sent on January 28 to Treasury asking confirmation that the UK Government and the Treasury had directly engaged with Welsh farming unions.
Mr Kurtz said whilst this was 'commendable' it did not give a view on what Welsh Laour Government thought about the IHT changes.
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Huw Irranca-Davies
Responding to Mr Kurtz query regarding the letter and his challenge to share the contents of the letter, the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Climate Change Huw Irranca-Davies said that the single letter ‘ignores' discussion that he has had with other inter-ministerial groups, as well as 'frequent discussions' at an official and ministerial level.
"The idea that I have not been making those representations is a fallacy, just to be clear."
Defra
"Defra and HM Treasury met face to face with the Welsh farming unions on 18 February. We are all very aware that the unions were not satisfied with the outcome of the meeting, but I would encourage the unions to continue to engage constructively with the Treasury and other UK Ministers, and we continue to stand ready to help open those doors for those discussions.
Welsh farming
"We are committed to supporting our farmers in advocating on their behalf, whilst concentrating, on the areas where we have direct responsibility.
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"My thanks, by the way, to the leadership of NFU Cymru and FUW for regularly meeting with me on this very issue and outlining those concerns and their ideas. It is therefore imperative that we address these concerns with clarity, with empathy and with a shared commitment to safeguarding the future of Welsh farming."
Welsh Government has been approached for a comment.
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