Live Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Questions House of Commons

In an hour, the forthcoming business will be announced and questions

taken. After that, there are two debates to be put forward by

backbench MPs. Join me tonight, but first we have questions can I also

add from this side of the House congratulations. It includes

questions on the household cost and spending on food, including the

lowest 20% of households. This figure has remained reasonably

stable at around 16% for many years. Thank you, Mr Speaker, I thank the

Minister but he knows as well as I do that that is not good enough. We

have an estimated 8.4 million people living in food insecure households.

There have been calls from so many organisations for the Government to

adopt a household food and security measurement. Why will the Government

not admit that the resistance to admitting this is that once they

admit the scale of hunger, they would have to do recognise that it

is largely caused by their own punitive welfare policies. I

fundamentally disagree with the honourable lady. This Government

have got more people back into work than ever before and the best way to

tackle poverty is to help people get off of benefits and into work. I

would say to the honourable lady that we have through the LC Access

and established measure of how much the lowest income household spending

on food, a consistent measure, and we can benchmark changes here and

here. That has been very stable. It was 16% when the party opposite were

in power and it is 16% now. Food insecurity is a terrible thing and

this is exacerbated by low income households spending money on food

that is not good for them. During the war, war time households knew

how to budget and nutrition improved. Could we learned some

lessons from the wartime generation about how best to feed people? My

colleagues in the Department for help publish lots of very good

guidance and run lots of very good campaigns to encourage healthy

eating. In addition, we have the School food programme which is

aiming to improve the nutrition of food in schools so that children

learn lifelong good habits. I agree with the honourable gentleman that

actually it is possible to eat very good nutritious food and the cost

and price of it has been remarkably stable. And visits to my local food

banks, what I hear is that the number of people relying on them is

going up. Isn't it true that the Government doesn't want to collect

this type of data because they would have to admit the failure of their

policies, not least the fact that getting into a job is no longer

route out of policy because of -- out of poverty, because of in work

poverty. This is the Government that introduced a national living wage,

raising standards. I have visited my local food bank and I have sent

people to visit people having complex issues in their lives. There

are many issues that relate to poverty and I would ask all members

to work closely with their local food banks as my office does. With

permission, Mr Speaker, I would like to group questions two and six. The

United Kingdom complies with legislation for nearly all air

pollutants but faces challenges in achieving nitrogen dioxide limits

including 16 other European union states. We have committed ?290

million in the Autumn Statement to support green transport. We should

all recognise that air quality is improving but we recognise we must

go further and faster and we will support a new programme in April. I

thanked her for her answer but I think she is aware of the rail

scheme which would take 5 million lorries off of the roads each year,

lowering emissions. With Felixstowe in my constituency, I am fully aware

of the advantages of rail freight. I would stress to the honourable

gentleman that the departments of Defra works closely with others and

shifting freight onto rail is a key part of any future strategy. You are

aware of the controversial cruise liner terminal at and wharf in

Greenwich. With the impact of that in mind, can she tell us when the

Government expects to publish a review into shorter shift power? The

honourable gentleman will be aware that an environmental impact

assessment was considered when looking at that planning application

but, as he will be aware also, the Minister for transport is committed

to looking further at what can be done and I'm sure he's making

progress on that. Does the Minister agree that British businesses have

made great strides in recent years in producing technologies which

enable us to improve air quality, such as the taxis that now run in

Birmingham on LPG and the adaptation of buses that have significantly

cleaned up the air on Oxford Street? I agree with my right honourable

friend and her vast experience in this area is added to by her local

knowledge of the city of Birmingham and support going on there. I can

say that this Government made substantial chasuble settlement with

the previous mayor and I do know that air pollution has continued on

Oxford Street in the last year, so -- specifically with the grants that

were provided. Areas of corn will suffer with high pollution because

of the 839 running through the high street. And my honourable friend

congratulate the town council for the work they have done to improve

their air pollution. I have made it clear before that national

Government and local Government both have a role to play in tackling such

things and we will continue to work with my right honourable friend on

this matter. The College of physicians have stated that air

pollution contributes to approximately 40,000 deaths in the

UK every year and that these emissions have been poorly

regulated. What progress is the Government making in that field? Mr

Speaker, we have seen this nitrous oxide levels falling. I recognise

not quickly enough. The Labour Government signed us up to achieve

this by 2010 and failed spectacularly. We will continue to

strive for this. Does my honourable friend agree that one of the ways to

make real progress on air quality is to forge ahead with ultralow

emission vehicles and given that Norway now has 25% of the cars on

its road either electric or hybrid, does she agree that we need a real

turbo-charge bees to get ahead in this area? My honourable friend is

absolutely right. The low emission vehicle industry is a competitive

advantage for this country and that is why the Government is backing

them through the office of load -- low emission vehicles and also the

many millions of pounds that have been spent on improving the charging

infrastructure up and down this country. Many happy returns, Mr

Speaker, to both you and reverend rose. Mr Speaker, the Government has

lost the confidence of this House on air quality. Over 50,000 people are

dying prematurely each year because of air pollution and many more are

suffering associated health conditions. With no guarantee from

either the Prime Minister or the Secretary of State that last

December's strict EU laws will be introduced post-Brexit, how can the

country trust a Government -- the Government to ensure cleaner air in

future? The honourable lady refers to a lack of trust in this

Government. I think that is somewhat pot calling kettle black. It is the

Labour Government that introduced fiscal incentives for people to

switch to diesel cars, the Labour Government who signed up to these

guidelines. Air quality is better than it was under a Labour

Government. That is an incontrovertible fact. Or even

incontrovertible fact. Happy birthday, Mr Speaker. Hill farmers

play a critical role not just in producing high-quality food but also

delivering environmental benefits for all of the public in our

beautiful landscapes. Leaving the EU gives us a great opportunity to look

again at their contribution to developing and delivering our twin

ambitions, to have a world leading food and farming industry and at the

same time a better environment for future generations. I am grateful

for that response from the Secretary of State. Of course, paying for

environmental goods will only work as a strategy if the hill farms are

financially viable and she knows some of them are earning ?14,000 a

year, so income support mechanisms will still be necessary. And she

guarantee that in future trade negotiations, she will not allow a

flood of cheap New Zealand lamb which will put them out of business?

Well, the honourable lady will be aware that we have undertaken from

the very first days in the job to commit to the levels of current

support for all Pirlo payments until 2020 to give that continuity to

farmers and businesses. We have committed to our consultation on the

future of the food and farming sector in the 25 year plan and that

will be looking very closely at the level of support that is needed but

I absolutely agree with her. We will need to look at what we can do for

the future to ensure that hill farmers remove viable and

sustainable. The Secretary of State is right,

there is a real opportunity to create a system of rule support that

is the spoke for the United Kingdom that is environmental, economic and

social policy. In that respect, giving ministers the opportunity of

moving money up the hill to protect those who are clinging on economic

Lee is an opportunity I hope she will grasp. Well, my honourable

friend is knowledgeable in this area, and his input will be

extremely useful when it comes to our consultation, but he is right to

say this is a unique opportunity for us to create a policy that works for

us, not for 28 EU member states, and that is exactly what we will be

consulting on and what we will be delivering. Happy birthday from me.

I wondered if the Secretary of State under chief executive of the rural

payments agency would tolerate waiting 13.5 months for their salary

cheque to arrive. And that is what 50 hill farmers have had to do

waiting for the December 2015 farm payment. And hundreds more are

weighted up to one year to get the payments also. In the 2016-17 year,

they have been told they will be at the back of the queue to receive

payments for their farm again. Will she commit to make sure those 50 are

paid immediately and also will she commit that those hill farmers at

the back of the queue last year will be at the front of the queue this

year? I am afraid he is just not appraised of the facts. The facts

are there are very few... The honourable lady shouts from the

bench 2000. People have received a payment and there are some

challenges to those payments that are still awaiting settlement. And I

would like to say to the honourable gentleman that the RPA under Mark

Grimshaw has strived to settle all outstanding claims, but there are

people who are challenging those, understandably, but everybody has

received a payment apart from a very small number, where there are issues

like probate concerns, legal challenges and inspection

challenges. In terms of this year, Commons have been paid across the

board and are about 92.8% of payments, which is a good

achievement compared to last year. Thank you. Happy birthday from these

benches also. Given that lamb as a product is now facing large tariffs,

foreign payments become more important than ever. Long-term it is

not just three years to 2020, the farming minister said we would get

at least the same amount if not more. Yesterday I challenge the

Secretary of State for Scotland, who said there is no suggestion that

funding to Scottish agriculture will be cut after 2020. Can she offer the

same assurance, payments will not go down after 2020? The assurance I can

give to the honourable gentleman is we will be looking at how to achieve

our twin ambitions of a world leading food and farming sector

while ensuring we leave the environment in a better state than

we are left it. We will look at the facts and then decide what level of

funding is required in order to support those ambitions. We wish you

a long life, Mr Speaker! LAUGHTER

One of the great opportunities for farmers as we leave the EU as we

scrap some of the bureaucratic rules that have limited the ability to

maximise productivity and profitability.

For example rules that dictate the number of crops they can grow. I

thank her for her answer. As we free ourselves from the straitjacket of

the common agricultural policy, that has added so many bureaucratic

burdens to farmers, what assessment has she made of the financial burden

that our farmers are facing as a result of the common agricultural

policy, and what extra freedom will this mean for farmers in the future?

He is absolutely right to draw attention to this issue. It is

something we are determined to address as we develop new policies.

Unnecessary rules cost farmers millions of pounds, and up to

300,000 man hours each year, which says nothing of the lost

opportunities. So I will be paying close attention in the coming months

to find a solution that work for us, rather than 28 EU member states. I

do not want to be nasty to anyone, especially on your birthday, but the

fact is that this front bench it is sleepwalking into Brexit. We have

heard so much from the Secretary of State before the Brexit vote, now we

hear nothing. Our farmers, are people in the countryside know

nothing about what is going to happen. They fear a new agricultural

devastation in the countryside. What is she going to do about it? If that

is his definition of not being nasty to anyone, that does not really work

well! I am not sure Labour has much support in the countryside because

they have done nothing for countryfolk. It is this side of the

House that has ensured we continue with support until 2020, and all

agri- environment schemes for their lifetime before we signed up to the

EU, to ensure we have that business confidence. We are committed to a

world leading food and farming industry while at the same time

having an environment that is better than we inherited. Bizarre

promotions and -- these are our ambitions and we will achieve them.

Knowing what sort of Minister my right honourable friend is, I cannot

really believe her team were fully briefed properly when they saw the

nitro vulnerable zone regulation rolled out. I would be happy to meet

and discuss this issue separately but I can assure him we looked very

carefully at this issue. And as ever, there is a balance between

successful, sustainable farming, food productivity and what is right

for over environment. Happy birthday, Mr Speaker. Earlier this

month the Secretary of State told the Oxford farming conference how

excited she was about, quote, scrapping the rules that hold us

back, saying we can all think of at least one EU law that we would not

miss. That may be true, but I'm sure each of us can also think of at

least one rule that we would miss. That we would want to keep. Can she

share her choice with us? I have already shared a few choices, farm

inspections, some of the rules around billboards and so on, but

what I would like to say, and I know she cares a great deal about this

matter, is that we will in the great repeal Bill, ring all EU legislation

into UK law, so that the Prime Minister -- as the Prime Minister

said, the rules will be the same today after we leave the EU. That is

important for that continuity. And at that point we will look at and

change those rules for the better to suit the needs of the United

Kingdom. If only it were that easy. And incredibly vague answer, not a

specific EU regulation mentioned. Those of us who value even the -- EU

regulation on animal welfare will not find her answer reassuring. I

assume that some kind of objective criteria have to be applied so that

rules will not just be thrown onto the bonfire. What are those

objective criteria? I am sorry if she perhaps didn't hear my previous

answer. I made extremely clear that the day after we leave the EU the

rules will be the same as the day before. After that we will be

seeking to meet our twin ambitions of a world leading food and farming

industry and an environment that is better than the one we inherited. To

give her one example of a manifesto commitment that Labour did not have

in their manifesto, we will push for high animal welfare standards to be

incorporated into a international trade agreements. The party opposite

did not have that in their manifesto. The events of the last,

sorry, number five, Mr Speaker. This government is investing ?2.5 billion

delivering at least 1500 new flood schemes by 2021. He should be aware

that in his constituency, government investment of ?121 million is being

made delivering 18 schemes, better protecting over 30,000 homes. I was

overwrought with the excitement of your birthday that I forgot

parliamentary procedure! The Minister will know from the events

of last week that my constituency is under great threat of flooding and

she will join with the Prime Minister and myself are praising the

response of the emergency services under the tidal surge. Does she

agree that the Boston barrier therefore cannot come soon enough,

but also it offers a huge economic opportunity that will allow Boston

not only to be protected from flooding but also to seize a new

tourism don that could be better off than a lock. -- dawn. The Boston

barrier is subject to an enquiry. And it could be a compelling reason

to visit that part of rural England. I want to extend my thanks to the

Environment Agency, councils and emergency services and volunteers

who helped make sure people were safe last week. Happy birthday, Sir.

Many small businesses across the UK that operate in flood risk areas are

having to face huge, and enormous flood insurance excesses. Will the

ministers in this department please commit to persuading the Treasury to

extend assurances to businesses. If extend assurances to businesses. If

it floods again, many high streets in my constituency might disappear.

He will be aware that flood defences are a matter for his government. Can

I also say that he raised this point in the debate, and if he had waited

for my reply, he would have heard my response on that matter. Question

seven. Mr Speaker, we all love trees, and I can see that woodland

planting in England is supported through the countryside stewardship

grant, and to encourage tree-planting we have extended the

woodland creation can't. We are committed to planting a million

trees for schools in partnership with the Woodland Trust and other

community trusts. The residents of Southend West, would my honourable

friend join with me in congratulating... Would she agree

that planting a tree in memory of a deceased person is a fitting tribute

and makes an excellent contribution to the overall quality of the

environment? I commend Southend Borough Council for this

tree-planting scheme, and I want to personally acknowledge the recent

bereavement of his mother. I do agree with his tribute -- this

tribute as trees can give a long-standing remainder of the

departed and give a place for bereaved people to visit. I know

that from personal experience. Being aware of the incentives the

Department of agriculture have in relation to tree-planting, can she

indicate what long-term incentives they are for farmers to plant trees

for the long term but also the participation of community groups

and schools in the process? As I have outlined, the countryside

scheme is they are, and acts as an incentive for tree-planting. I am

glad he is leading by example but he will understand the encouragement in

Northern Ireland is led by his own government. Yes, we can learn all

about tree-planting in Taunton Deane. Plant a birthday treat, that

would be a good idea! Would she agree that planting trees is a very

important part of keeping the environment as a whole in balance

and which he also agree that the environment should be made a

cornerstone of our post-Brexit agenda with enormous opportunities

to sell technology worldwide and show that we are world leaders, but

also bring it into everything to do with economy and social lanes so we

increase productivity, security, benefit everyone and leave the

environment in a better place than we inherited it. My honourable

friend is right to point out the importance of trees, which can have

multiple benefits. Earlier this year I visited a primary school in

Liverpool to support them in their tree-planting exercise is, but I can

assure her tree-planting is at the heart of this government today.

Will the Secretary of State today reassured this House and people

across the United Kingdom that any trade deal with the US will not

involve such compromises which would jeopardise food safety, animal

welfare laws, and will she reassure us that she understands a very quick

deal is not necessarily the same as a very good deal for the consumer or

producer? The Secretary of State made clearly earlier that the party

on the side is the only party that made a commitment to reflect animal

welfare standards in trade negotiations, which remains a

commitment to. There are opportunities for the agricultural

sector in the US, particularly such as dairy and Lamb sectors. We will

obviously lead on these ones we leave the European Union, but there

will be potential opportunities for the UK industry as well. On his

visit to a farm on Monday, which I visited last week, the Foreign

Minister will have heard many Brexit concerns, one of which was the

ending of free movements. The Secretary of State hinted that

relaxation for the agri- sector, and can hear sure is that taking on

this will not be a bureaucratic nightmare? I had a good meeting with

the NFU Scotland this week, where we discussed many in Word map issues.

We will work very closely with all of the devolved administrations and

the industry throughout the UK, and when it...

When he made the assessment of the impact on farming of leaving the EU,

can he assure me he will listen to the farmers, and not the so-called

experts, who seem to be set on pushing their own agenda? I can

reassure him that having grown up on a farm and worked in the farming

industry for ten years, I would be very much is listening to farmers

and their views and wanting to learn from the experience, and we will be

listening to everyone as we develop future policy. He will be aware that

a great many farms and rural businesses rely on EU work as part

of their legal requirements throughout the year. Will keep

didn't mind... -- will he keep in mind these issues when discussing

immigration. We are in discussion with a number of leading players to

get an understanding of all the needs, and we are in discussion with

departmental colleagues in other departments. On Tuesday the

Secretary of State mentioned a Green paper for the environment and rural

economy long-term is coming. We have been promised no powers will be

repatriated to the EU, -- to Westminster, said that she agree

that the framework should be the work of the Scottish Government? We

will discuss this with all devolved administrations. The Prime Minister

made that clear earlier this week. We will discuss this across the UK

and agree what the right UK approach should be. Live long and prosper. We

established the capital committee in this Parliament, we will also

publish our 25 year planning in due course and we want everyone to

understand how a healthy environment improves their life and spending

time and in the environment will improve health. I have been running

a campaign to save the hedgehog. She may also know that on the 2nd of

February, that marks National hedgehog Dave. What can she do to

ensure young people are involved in the campaign to save wildlife,

including the hedgehog, in the run-up to the 2nd of February? I

commend my honourable friend for his continuing support of the hedgehog.

The government supports efforts to make gardens hedgehog friendly

through the creation of havens, and through the creation of havens, and

campaigns with local communities to look out for the hedgehog, including

that of BBC Suffolk. I would encourage him to get BBC Cornwall to

do the same. We want to encourage the next-generation. Many happy

returns. Hedgehogs and other wild mammals and precious bird species

are currently protected under regulations on the European Union.

The Environmental Audit Committee's report on the effects of the natural

environment of leaving... Has she had a chance to read it? I read it

cover to cover the day it came out, as is appropriate. I can say that

our intention is to bring environmental legislation into law

the day that we leave the European Union, and as a consequence we see

no need for future legislation at this point. Topical questions. I

would like to place on record my sincere thanks for the commitment

and hard work of the military Environment Agency staff, local

councils, volunteers and the emergency services during last

week's tidal surge. More than half a million homes and businesses were

protected from flooding along the east coast as a result of their

efforts. I am sure the whole House would like to join me in expressing

our gratitude. The Consumer Price Index is at the highest it has been

for over 2.5 years, largely driven by rising food prices. Since the

government stubbornly refused to measure and act on levels of food

poverty, what will she do for the millions of people who cannot afford

to eat? I can say that food prices as steady and have been reducing,

and there is a very recent small uptick, but generally food inflation

has been low, and as my honourable friend explained earlier, we do

monitor the levels of expenditure on food closely. Can I endorse what the

Secretary of State has said about the superb work done by the

emergency services and other voluntary groups along the east

coast. What is she and her department doing to support

community interest companies which can harvest company and private

sector funds for the environmental services? As a government we

continue to invest in flood defences around the coast. I want to

reiterate the thanks we have two hour emergency services and the

military, who helped a black risk last year. We continue to invest so

that fewer homes and businesses will be at risk in the future. The study

by the statistics unit investigating potential links with waste

incinerators and health outcomes, the date of when it will be

published keeps changing. I will look straight into this and get back

to him. Which he agreed to visit the slowing the flow project, and

natural flood alleviation scheme, part funded by DEFRA, to save the

taxpayer millions of pounds, to see what could be done with a ?15

million the apartment has a bid invested for such projects. I would

be delighted to visit, if we can get our diaries to work. I would like to

see the success of the Pickering project, which has been one of the

building blocks in securing the ?15 million of funding we announced in

November last year, which is dedicated specifically to natural

flood management schemes across the UK. This money will let us test new

approaches to see how natural flood resources can help us in the future.

We do not have time to waste. Since their Westminster Hall debate last

December, 4007 elephants have been killed for tasks. With China

introducing a ban on the ivory trade by the end of this year, will the

government reconsidered its proposed unworkable partial ban which will

still allow criminals to trade in ivory, and

introduce a total ban? That is nonsense, it is not a partial ban

this government is proposing. In the conference in China last year, we

were very clear we would do everything possible not just to

enforce a ban on trading of ivory, but also on enforcement, on

minimising exemptions. She needs to work with us to ensure the

protection of the species and not try to make a party political point

on it. The Vale of Evesham is proud of its horticultural industry. Many

of the local growers and food produce companies are highly reliant

on seasonal workers. Can we please seriously consider bringing back a

seasonal agricultural workers scheme? I have experience in this

industry, I know many growers in Evesham, and have had discussions

with businesses on this issue. We want to get the right approach so we

can control immigration and ensure we have the working leads were

required. The farming Minister will have been amended on Monday that 90%

of beef and lamb exports from this country are to the EU, so the Prime

Minister's threat to walk away from the single market with no deal, but

then would not be bad, it could leave them facing tariffs up to 20%,

which would be catastrophic. What assurances can he give to farmers

and crofters in my constituency that he and his government will not leave

them exposed in this way? I think the Prime Minister gave the

assurance we are looking for a good deal, and no deal is better than a

bad deal. In food and drink alone we have a trade deficit of ?10 billion

with the EU, so they have a great interest to having tariff free

access to the market. Following the success for the charge of plastic

bags, and reducing the number of plastic going into the sea, the next

big issue we need to address is single use plastic bottles. Can she

address the House and what plans she address the House and what plans she

has to cut the number of templating beaches? He is right to point out

consultation is out there on micro beads, but there is call for wider

evidence about the need to tackle other plastics. We are developing a

new letter strategy which may reduce this. -- litter strategy. An

enormous amount of subsidies used to encourage intensive farming. Could

ministers also look at some of the ideas for re-wilding, and see that

our subsidies could encourage the restoration of the environment,

rather than its conservation? We will look at representations from

all people. I would say this, if we want to improve the farmed

environment we have to look at the whole farmed environment and not

restrict our ambition is to just the upper limbs or the moorland areas.

So we're looking at a whole range of things, in quitting water quality.

-- uplands. Could we look at single payments that have been made and how

it affects the Cornish farms? We have now paid 92.8% of basic payment

scheme claims for the current year, and as a fellow Cornish man, I am

pleased to say that 97% of claims and Cornwall have now been paid. My

constituents will be concerned that there interest should not be

compromised in any free trade deal with New Zealand. Will the Secretary

of State guarantee that she will fight for farmers in any free-trade

deal and ensure that they are not cheap imports of New Zealand lamb?

Will she fight for farmers? As a free and sovereign parliament, it

will be for us to determine the terms of any free trade agreements.

I have already read out from our manifesto commitment on the highest

level of animal welfare, and it also commits to food safety and food

traceability. It commits to being a leading country in farm management

and to promote that around the world. There is a continuing problem

of fly shooting and electronic pulse fishing in UK waters. Not only are

these practices environmental vandalism, they are having a

devastating impact on local fishing communities. Can the Minister is

sure the Cosies doing anything to address this problem? I'm aware of

the concern, particularly around pulse trolling in the southern North

Sea. I have asked the Department to look at this and give me a report on

what we know about the science. In addition, that is a working group in

the EU on this issue. Happy birthday. At the time of

negotiations on the TTIP deal, concerns were raised about products

that consumers don't want on the shelves. Now within a weaker

negotiating position, how can the Minister assurance we won't allow

those products on? The USA represents USA interests in

negotiations and the UK Government will represent the UK in any future

trade negotiations. Issues such as animal welfare and food safety are

areas in which we will