Alistair Carmichael, MP, elected as Chair of Efra select committee, brings extensive experience and vision for UK rural affairs.
- Carmichael assumes the position succeeding Sir Robert Goodwill, standing unopposed in the election.
- His focus areas include providing a voice to farmers, addressing animal welfare, and setting agendas for food security.
- Carmichael is committed to shaping key decisions affecting UK rural life for the next decade.
- Recent statements from the Defra minister highlight alignment with food security as a national security priority.
Alistair Carmichael, MP for Orkney and Shetland, has been elected as the new Chair of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Efra) select committee. He was appointed after standing unopposed, succeeding the previous Chair, Sir Robert Goodwill.
Carmichael’s objectives as Chair include advocating for farmers and rural communities, focusing on critical issues such as animal welfare, food standards, and nature depletion. His approach aims to set a political agenda that ensures ‘meaningful and realistic’ food security across the UK.
In his application, Carmichael expressed his enthusiasm about influencing key decisions that will shape UK rural communities for at least the next decade. He stated, ‘In the next few years we shall make key decisions that will set the shape and course of life in the United Kingdom’s rural communities for a decade at least. I am excited by the prospect of bringing the influence of Parliament to inform and to shape these decisions.’
This appointment comes amid a focus on reducing ‘unnecessary regulatory burdens’ as highlighted by the new Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) minister of state. Addressing the food and beverage industry at Parliament, Daniel Zeichner, MP, emphasised the government’s recognition that ‘food security is part of national security’. Such alignment with Carmichael’s agenda could signal broader consensus on the importance of rural and food issues.
Alistair Carmichael’s appointment promises significant contributions toward addressing key rural and environmental issues in the UK.
