LEAKED DOCUMENTS belonging to a senior government adviser claimed that ‘Britain doesn’t need farming,’ prompting NFU Scotland to call for clarification from Westminster on their official position towards the food and farming sectors.

Emails were discovered from a Dr Tim Leunig, suggesting that the UK should follow the example of Singapore, which he claimed, ‘is rich without having its own agricultural sector’.

The Treasury advisor, who was brought into Westminster by former Defra secretary Michael Gove MP, sent emails last week to the National Food Strategy – the Government's wholesale review of the British food system – where he wrote that the ‘food sector isn't critically important to the UK, and ag(riculture] and fish production certainly isn't'.

When he was challenged by fellow members of the review's advisory panel, he responded: 'All I am saying is that, as a logical possibility, a nation (or region) can import stuff. We see that in many places for many goods and services. Singapore imports (almost) all its food, Germany all its oil, Japan all its planes and all its oil, Australia and New Zealand import all their cars, all their planes and all their oil, while Iceland imports oil, cars, planes and graduate-level education.'

NFU Scotland was shocked by the comments and has written to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, and his officials requesting a meeting at their earliest convenience.

Although the UK Government has reportedly distanced itself from the adviser’s views, NFUS has asked Mr Sunak to consider issuing an unequivocal statement clarifying the position of the Treasury department and the UK Government towards the food and farming sectors.

Union president Andrew McCornick wrote: “If the UK Government truly believes in food security for the UK, and allowing farmers and crofters to continue to protect and enhance our fantastic natural environment as the true custodians of the countryside, then I urge the Chancellor to rebut in the strongest manner the assertions made within the leaked comments by an HM Treasury adviser.

“Food and drink is Scotland’s most significant growth sector, and is currently worth over £10.1 billion in exports. Scottish farmers, crofters and growers are the cornerstone of that economic success story and central to delivering the ambition to increase the value of the sector to £30 billion by 2030,” he explained. “Whilst ambitious in scope, it is the view of NFUS that, with Government support, the target is firmly within the reach of the industry based upon the growth seen within the last decade alone.

“Not only does agriculture have a vital role in providing the raw materials for a key growth sector of the Scottish economy, but we also consistently produce and deliver safe, nutritious food to UK consumers,” he continued. “That food is produced, on farm, to world-leading standards that must be regarded as minimum requirements for any imports to access the UK as part of future agri-trade deals.

“It is also produced in a manner that increasingly reflects our commitment, as producers, to meeting both environmental and climate change targets. NFU Scotland firmly believes that Scottish farmers, crofters and growers are the solution to the climate challenge and can deliver on challenging new targets whilst improving the productivity of agricultural businesses to the benefit of the wider UK economy. However, these efforts will be rendered utterly meaningless if the sector does not have the support of its government,” he concluded.