Lockhart Requests Urgent Meeting With Newly Appointed DEFRA Minister

DUP Agriculture Spokesperson Carla Lockhart MP has written to newly appointed DEFRA Minister Stephen Morgan MP requesting an urgent meeting.

Mr Morgan, Labour MP for Portsmouth South, was appointed last week as part of an impromptu Government reshuffle, replacing Dame Angela Eagle MP, whose tenure commenced in September 2025.

Ms Lockhart has expressed concern at the latest change in leadership at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, saying: “There is a substantial in-tray waiting for Stephen Morgan’s attention.”

Carla Lockhart MP said: “Whilst I congratulate Stephen Morgan MP on his appointment, I am deeply concerned by yet another ‘change of guard’ at DEFRA. Mr Morgan is the eighth Minister in over a decade.

“Agriculture, food production, environmental protection and rural affairs represent one of the most significant and complex portfolios in the UK Government. After only nine-months in post, Dame Angela Eagle has moved on and we are effectively back to square one with yet another new Minister, responsible for the vast and demanding brief.

“I held a robust and constructive meeting with Dame Angela Eagle in March, during which we discussed a wide range of pressing issues affecting the agri-food sector. Significant work is underway on several important matters and it is vital that the momentum is not lost during this transition.”

The Upper Bann MP said Northern Ireland’s farmers and food producers continue to face mounting pressures which require immediate engagement from the new DEFRA Minister.

“Agriculture remains a cornerstone of our rural economy, but farmers are operating in increasingly difficult circumstances. The ongoing implications of the Windsor Framework continue to create friction within the United Kingdom’s internal market, while producers are expected to operation under an increasingly complex regulatory environment.

“One of the most urgent issues requiring immediate attention is the threat posed by illegal meat imports entering the United Kingdom. For more than a year I have consistently warned previous Ministers that our border systems are under-resourced and not fit for purpose. Weak biosecurity measures leave the UK extremely vulnerable to devastating livestock diseases such as Foot and Mouth Disease and African Swine Fever, which would have catastrophic consequences for farmers, processors and the wider agri-food industry.”

Ms Lockhart outlined a number of other critical issues requiring urgent ministerial attention. “Farm businesses are also contending with rising costs driven by global instability, labour shortages across the agri-food and horticulture sectors, and the uncertainty surrounding Labour’s inheritance tax reforms. Food security must also remain a top priority.”

The MP said she looked forward to engaging with Mr Morgan at the earliest opportunity.

“I have requested an urgent meeting with the new Minister and look forward to discussing these issues in detail. Northern Ireland faces unique agricultural and trading challenges which must be properly understood and addressed by the Labour Government.

“Safeguarding our agricultural industry is not optional. It is essential for our economy, our rural communities and the long-term sustainability of the United Kingdom’s food security. I look forward to meeting with Mr Morgan in the near future and emphasising that these critical issues must remain at the top of DEFRA’s agenda.”

ENDS