Legal proceedings over inheritance tax changes

London-based law firm Collyer Bristow has initiated legal action against planned changes to agricultural property relief (APR) and business property relief (BPR).

In a statement, the firm confirmed that proceedings were served on the Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves and HMRC on 23 June 2025 for a judicial review.

The case which was brought forward by “a group of affected farmers and business owners” surrounds the UK government’s decision not to consult on the planned changes to inheritance tax rules.

“This claim does not seek to overturn the government’s decision to amend APR or BPR but asks that affected individuals and groups can contribute to a proper consultation exercise,” said James Austen from Collyer Bristow.

UK tags can no longer be used in NI

Livestock tags which start with the prefix “UK” can no longer be used for identifying newborn cattle, sheep and goats in NI.

From 1 July 2025, all tags for newborn stock must start with the prefix “XI” which means any unused UK-prefix tags are now obsolete.

The change, which is a requirement under EU animal health law, follows a 12-month transition period which allowed NI farmers to use up existing UK-prefix tags.

Livestock in NI that were given UK tags prior to the 30 June 2025 do not need to be re-identified with XI tags if they are remaining within the UK.

All sheep and goats that are being exported to the Republic of Ireland must be identified with XI tags prior to their export, although there is no need to re-tag cattle that are moving south.

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Kimmins wants to appeal A5 judgement

Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins has said she is “minded to appeal” last week’s High Court ruling which quashed the construction of the A5 Western Transport Corridor.

However, the Sinn Féin MLA said a decision to appeal the judgement will require approval from ministers in the NI Executive.

The legal challenge surrounded the compatibility of the A5 road project with climate change legislation which requires NI to reach net zero emissions by 2050.

On Tuesday, Minister Kimmins said her department had submitted “extensive evidence in relation to the climate aspects” of the case.

“I am determined that this road will be built and it is important that everyone who wants to see this happen works together in a constructive way to achieve that goal,” she said.

Meanwhile, DAERA has confirmed that A5 landowners will not face penalties for claiming payment on land which has been vested since last November.

In a letter to Stormont’s agriculture committee, DAERA said that penalties will not apply until the department has determined the exact areas of vested land.

“As permanent fencing has not yet been completed, no over declaration penalties will apply to the impacted land,” said committee chair Robbie Butler.

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Storm Éowyn damaged 10,000 acres of NI forest

Almost 10,000 acres of trees owned by DAERA’s Forest Service need to be cleared and replanted due to the damage caused by Storm Éowyn.

Speaking to MLAs last week, John Joe Boyle from the Forest Service said the storm on 24 January 2025 caused “significant damage” to trees and forest across NI.

“Around 4,000 hectares of woodland which was not already scheduled for harvesting now requires to be cleared and replanted as a result of the storm,” he said.

The damaged area is substantial given that it equates to almost half of DAERA’s current target to establish 9,000 hectares of new forest from 2020 to 2030.

However, Boyle confirmed that the area damaged by Storm Éowyn will not count towards the department’s afforestation target.

“Anything we plant in the forest that’s been damaged will be in addition to the new woodland that we’re trying to create,” he said.

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Bluetongue zone extended in England

As of Tuesday 1 July a restricted zone for bluetongue has been extended to cover all of England.

It means animals can now move freely within England without the need for specific bluetongue licences or pre-movement testing, however, there are concerns this may facilitate the spread of bluetongue virus (BTV) further throughout the UK.

There are now over 260 affected premises in England, with BTV virus being detected for the first time in Lancashire in May 2025.

Farmers in Britain are being encouraged to vaccinate. At a recent update Welsh Chief Veterinary Officer Richard Irvine confirmed 95,000 animals are now vaccinated in Wales. There has also been a significant uptake in Scotland.

When asked in the Stormont Assembly chamber on Monday whether DAERA would consider vaccinating if an outbreak is confirmed here, Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir said he was “actively considering” that option.

“There was a meeting with stakeholders on Friday, and I have asked officials for an urgent update on the outcome of that meeting. I will take a decision in the very near future,” he added.

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