Scilly’s MP will be making a visit to the islands on Monday to discuss farming and local council services.
Andrew George will be holding a series of meetings with both constituents and councillors.
Mr George will meet with the Chairman of the Council of the Isles of Scilly - Cllr Dudley Mumford - at the Council offices at 11am.
He will then hold a constituents’ casework surgery at the Manse Room on St Mary’s from 12.15pm to 1.15pm.
Mr George, who is the Liberal Democrat Shadow Rural Affairs Minister, will also meet with David Wright, Chairman of the local National Farmers’ Union branch.
He recently secured the agreement of the Agriculture Minister - Rt. Hon Alun Michael MP - to a change in the status of the Isles of Scilly for the purpose of the reformed Common Agricultural Policy payment system.
The Isles of Scilly has been designated a Less Favoured Area which ‘ironically’ under the new scheme would have meant that farmers would have received a lower per hectare payment. The Minister has accepted the case made by Mr George and others that farmers on Scilly deserve more rather than less help because of their isolation.
Mr George has also secured the agreement of the Minister to exempt the Isles of Scilly from the regulations which require farmers to have any fallen stock taken to licensed disposal or rendering centres on the mainland.
Among the other issues Mr George wishes to raise with Mr Wright will be the Rural Payments Agency, transportation costs and charges, supplier/retailer relationships and comparisons in support systems between flower growers in Holland and the UK.