Exmouth MP concerned about being ‘purposefully’ ignored on farming issues

David Reed claims repeated invites to Defra ignored

Efforts to raise the plight of Devon’s farmers in parliament are apparently falling on deaf ears, according to Exmouth and Exeter East’s MP who claims he is being “purposefully” ignored.

David Reed, a Conservative, raised the issue of inheritance tax changes due to come in next year.

These will particularly hit farmers, who up until the changes have been exempt from inheritance tax for their farmland and agricultural buildings since 1984.

While various other allowances mean that a farming couple could pass on up to £3 million without triggering inheritance tax, rising land values mean many farms could cross this threshold.

Mr Reed said he had written Steve Reed (no relation), secretary of state for environment, food and rural affairs (Defra) several times since December to invite him to Devon to “explain how changes to agricultural property relief and business property relief are going to affect them.”

He said: “I am starting to feel like Defra ministers are purposefully ignoring me and Devon’s farming community.

“At the last Defra questions, I called out Mr Reed for not replying to any of my requests.”

The Exmouth and East Devon MP said one minister had said he was “happy to add [Devon] to the list for my grand tour across the country” to speak with farmers, but that so far nothing had materialised.

“So far, those platitudes have gone unrealised.

“Devon’s farmers are still in the dark about how the changes are going to affect them. If this is how ministers treat fellow MPs, is it any wonder that farmers up and down the country feel completely abandoned by this Labour government?”

Daniel Zeichner, a Defra minister, said he did “hear the complaint” and that he had been to Devon in his previous role and “I will come to Devon again”.

“I am always happy to meet farmers,” he said

“I have spent quite a lot of time at this dispatch box answering questions from Conservative members, so perhaps fewer questions will mean more time to go out and meet farmers.”

The government hopes to raise £230 million in the first tax year that inheritance tax changes take effect, rising to £495 million in 2027/28 and £520 million in both 2028/29 and 2029/30.

Farmers lined tractors outside Devon’s County Hall last year in support of efforts to encourage the government to rethink changes to inheritance tax on farms.

They parked the agricultural vehicles, adorned with campaign slogans including one appeal for inheritance tax for all to be abolished, at the council’s HQ in Exeter. Representatives also met with councillors.

The tractors’ arrival came just hours before a motion proposed by Conservative councillor Lois Samuel (Conservative, Okehampton Rural) was put to December’s full council to try to get the authority to oppose the changes to agricultural property relief (APR), and to exempt family farms.

Under the government’s proposals, farming assets worth more than £1 million will be subject to 20 per cent inheritance tax which can be paid over 10 years. The standard rate for non-farming assets is 40 per cent for people leaving more than £325,000, with an additional £175,000 tax-free allowance for people passing their homes to children or grandchildren.