Live Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Questions House of Commons


Live Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Questions

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

:00:22.:00:25.

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

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

:00:30.:00:36.

add from this side of the House congratulations. It includes

:00:37.:00:49.

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

:00:50.:00:52.

lowest 20% of households. This figure has remained reasonably

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

:01:01.:01:05.

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

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

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

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

:01:25.:01:31.

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

:01:32.:01:35.

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

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is largely caused by their own punitive welfare policies. I

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fundamentally disagree with the honourable lady. This Government

:01:45.:01:48.

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

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

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

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and established measure of how much the lowest income household spending

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

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

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

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this is exacerbated by low income households spending money on food

:02:27.:02:28.

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

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how to budget and nutrition improved. Could we learned some

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

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colleagues in the Department for help publish lots of very good

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guidance and run lots of very good campaigns to encourage healthy

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

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

:02:58.:03:01.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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United Kingdom complies with legislation for nearly all air

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pollutants but faces challenges in achieving nitrogen dioxide limits

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

:04:23.:04:33.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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gentleman that the departments of Defra works closely with others and

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

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aware of the controversial cruise liner terminal at and wharf in

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

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

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honourable gentleman will be aware that an environmental impact

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assessment was considered when looking at that planning application

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

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

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

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made great strides in recent years in producing technologies which

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

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Birmingham on LPG and the adaptation of buses that have significantly

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

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

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

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say that this Government made substantial chasuble settlement with

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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this matter. The College of physicians have stated that air

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pollution contributes to approximately 40,000 deaths in the

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UK every year and that these emissions have been poorly

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

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

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

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this by 2010 and failed spectacularly. We will continue to

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

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

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

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

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

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absolutely right. The low emission vehicle industry is a competitive

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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suffering associated health conditions. With no guarantee from

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either the Prime Minister or the Secretary of State that last

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

:09:07.:09:11.

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

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

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

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Labour Government that introduced fiscal incentives for people to

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

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

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Government. That is an incontrovertible fact. Or even

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incontrovertible fact. Happy birthday, Mr Speaker. Hill farmers

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

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delivering environmental benefits for all of the public in our

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

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again at their contribution to developing and delivering our twin

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

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

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

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

:10:25.:10:28.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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the future to ensure that hill farmers remove viable and

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sustainable. The Secretary of State is right,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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payments agency would tolerate waiting 13.5 months for their salary

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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people who are challenging those, understandably, but everybody has

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

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like probate concerns, legal challenges and inspection

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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our twin ambitions of a world leading food and farming sector

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while ensuring we leave the environment in a better state than

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

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

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a long life, Mr Speaker! LAUGHTER

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

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

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maximise productivity and profitability.

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

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

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the common agricultural policy, that has added so many bureaucratic

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

:15:52.:15:59.

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

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

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

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

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Unnecessary rules cost farmers millions of pounds, and up to

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

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

:16:29.:16:32.

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

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

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

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

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

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

:17:02.:17:04.

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

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

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

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

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

:17:27.:17:31.

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

:17:32.:17:37.

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

:17:38.:17:41.

world leading food and farming industry while at the same time

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having an environment that is better than we inherited. Bizarre

:17:45.:17:51.

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

:17:52.:17:59.

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

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

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

:18:10.:18:15.

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

:18:16.:18:20.

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

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successful, sustainable farming, food productivity and what is right

:18:27.:18:35.

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

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month the Secretary of State told the Oxford farming conference how

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

:18:42.:18:45.

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

:18:46.:18:49.

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

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

:18:54.:19:01.

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

:19:02.:19:06.

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

:19:07.:19:11.

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

:19:12.:19:15.

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

:19:16.:19:23.

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

:19:24.:19:28.

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

:19:29.:19:32.

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

:19:33.:19:36.

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

:19:37.:19:47.

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

:19:48.:19:51.

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

:19:52.:19:58.

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

:19:59.:20:02.

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

:20:03.:20:13.

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

:20:14.:20:18.

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

:20:19.:20:22.

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

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

:20:28.:20:31.

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

:20:32.:20:35.

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

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

:20:40.:20:46.

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

:20:47.:20:50.

incorporated into a international trade agreements. The party opposite

:20:51.:20:54.

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

:20:55.:21:06.

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

:21:07.:21:13.

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

:21:14.:21:18.

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

:21:19.:21:21.

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

:21:22.:21:27.

overwrought with the excitement of your birthday that I forgot

:21:28.:21:34.

parliamentary procedure! The Minister will know from the events

:21:35.:21:38.

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

:21:39.:21:41.

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

:21:42.:21:44.

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

:21:45.:21:47.

agree that the Boston barrier therefore cannot come soon enough,

:21:48.:21:55.

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

:21:56.:21:58.

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

:21:59.:22:08.

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

:22:09.:22:21.

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

:22:22.:22:24.

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

:22:25.:22:28.

Environment Agency, councils and emergency services and volunteers

:22:29.:22:31.

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

:22:32.:22:37.

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

:22:38.:22:43.

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

:22:44.:22:46.

ministers in this department please commit to persuading the Treasury to

:22:47.:22:52.

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

:22:53.:22:56.

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

:22:57.:23:01.

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

:23:02.:23:06.

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

:23:07.:23:10.

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

:23:11.:23:21.

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

:23:22.:23:25.

planting in England is supported through the countryside stewardship

:23:26.:23:30.

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

:23:31.:23:36.

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

:23:37.:23:39.

trees for schools in partnership with the Woodland Trust and other

:23:40.:23:43.

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

:23:44.:23:55.

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

:23:56.:23:59.

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

:24:00.:24:03.

and makes an excellent contribution to the overall quality of the

:24:04.:24:09.

environment? I commend Southend Borough Council for this

:24:10.:24:13.

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

:24:14.:24:16.

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

:24:17.:24:22.

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

:24:23.:24:27.

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

:24:28.:24:35.

that from personal experience. Being aware of the incentives the

:24:36.:24:39.

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

:24:40.:24:42.

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

:24:43.:24:47.

for the long term but also the participation of community groups

:24:48.:24:51.

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

:24:52.:24:58.

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

:24:59.:25:02.

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

:25:03.:25:04.

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

:25:05.:25:10.

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

:25:11.:25:17.

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

:25:18.:25:23.

important part of keeping the environment as a whole in balance

:25:24.:25:26.

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

:25:27.:25:28.

cornerstone of our post-Brexit agenda with enormous opportunities

:25:29.:25:32.

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

:25:33.:25:37.

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

:25:38.:25:42.

increase productivity, security, benefit everyone and leave the

:25:43.:25:45.

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

:25:46.:25:50.

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

:25:51.:25:57.

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

:25:58.:26:02.

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

:26:03.:26:05.

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

:26:06.:27:04.

Will the Secretary of State today reassured this House and people

:27:05.:27:08.

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

:27:09.:27:13.

involve such compromises which would jeopardise food safety, animal

:27:14.:27:18.

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

:27:19.:27:24.

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

:27:25.:27:30.

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

:27:31.:27:33.

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

:27:34.:27:38.

welfare standards in trade negotiations, which remains a

:27:39.:27:41.

commitment to. There are opportunities for the agricultural

:27:42.:27:47.

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

:27:48.:27:54.

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

:27:55.:27:59.

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

:28:00.:28:03.

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

:28:04.:28:06.

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

:28:07.:28:13.

ending of free movements. The Secretary of State hinted that

:28:14.:28:15.

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

:28:16.:28:37.

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

:28:38.:28:40.

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

:28:41.:28:42.

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

:28:43.:28:54.

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

:28:55.:29:02.

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

:29:03.:29:07.

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

:29:08.:29:17.

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

:29:18.:29:24.

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

:29:25.:29:28.

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

:29:29.:29:31.

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

:29:32.:29:35.

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

:29:36.:29:43.

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

:29:44.:29:49.

of their legal requirements throughout the year. Will keep

:29:50.:30:02.

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

:30:03.:30:11.

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

:30:12.:30:18.

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

:30:19.:30:20.

departmental colleagues in other departments. On Tuesday the

:30:21.:30:26.

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

:30:27.:30:30.

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

:30:31.:30:36.

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

:30:37.:30:40.

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

:30:41.:30:46.

will discuss this with all devolved administrations. The Prime Minister

:30:47.:30:52.

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

:30:53.:30:55.

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

:30:56.:31:09.

established the capital committee in this Parliament, we will also

:31:10.:31:14.

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

:31:15.:31:17.

understand how a healthy environment improves their life and spending

:31:18.:31:22.

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

:31:23.:31:29.

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

:31:30.:31:33.

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

:31:34.:31:37.

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

:31:38.:31:42.

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

:31:43.:31:48.

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

:31:49.:31:52.

The government supports efforts to make gardens hedgehog friendly

:31:53.:31:54.

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

:31:55.:31:57.

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

:31:58.:32:04.

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

:32:05.:32:08.

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

:32:09.:32:16.

returns. Hedgehogs and other wild mammals and precious bird species

:32:17.:32:20.

are currently protected under regulations on the European Union.

:32:21.:32:24.

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

:32:25.:32:32.

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

:32:33.:32:38.

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

:32:39.:32:44.

our intention is to bring environmental legislation into law

:32:45.:32:47.

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

:32:48.:32:51.

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

:32:52.:32:59.

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

:33:00.:33:03.

and hard work of the military Environment Agency staff, local

:33:04.:33:07.

councils, volunteers and the emergency services during last

:33:08.:33:14.

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

:33:15.:33:17.

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

:33:18.:33:21.

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

:33:22.:33:28.

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

:33:29.:33:33.

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

:33:34.:33:37.

government stubbornly refused to measure and act on levels of food

:33:38.:33:43.

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

:33:44.:33:50.

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

:33:51.:33:56.

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

:33:57.:33:59.

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

:34:00.:34:04.

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

:34:05.:34:11.

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

:34:12.:34:14.

emergency services and other voluntary groups along the east

:34:15.:34:18.

coast. What is she and her department doing to support

:34:19.:34:21.

community interest companies which can harvest company and private

:34:22.:34:28.

sector funds for the environmental services? As a government we

:34:29.:34:34.

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

:34:35.:34:41.

reiterate the thanks we have two hour emergency services and the

:34:42.:34:45.

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

:34:46.:34:49.

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

:34:50.:34:57.

by the statistics unit investigating potential links with waste

:34:58.:35:13.

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

:35:14.:35:19.

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

:35:20.:35:24.

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

:35:25.:35:29.

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

:35:30.:35:42.

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

:35:43.:35:50.

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

:35:51.:35:55.

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

:35:56.:35:58.

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

:35:59.:36:03.

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

:36:04.:36:07.

November last year, which is dedicated specifically to natural

:36:08.:36:10.

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

:36:11.:36:15.

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

:36:16.:36:21.

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

:36:22.:36:26.

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

:36:27.:36:30.

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

:36:31.:36:33.

government reconsidered its proposed unworkable partial ban which will

:36:34.:36:38.

still allow criminals to trade in ivory, and

:36:39.:37:05.

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

:37:06.:37:12.

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

:37:13.:37:14.

were very clear we would do everything possible not just to

:37:15.:37:24.

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

:37:25.:37:28.

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

:37:29.:37:31.

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

:37:32.:37:35.

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

:37:36.:37:40.

of the local growers and food produce companies are highly reliant

:37:41.:37:50.

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

:37:51.:37:55.

seasonal agricultural workers scheme? I have experience in this

:37:56.:38:05.

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

:38:06.:38:13.

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

:38:14.:38:18.

can control immigration and ensure we have the working leads were

:38:19.:38:24.

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

:38:25.:38:28.

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

:38:29.:38:33.

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

:38:34.:38:37.

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

:38:38.:38:43.

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

:38:44.:38:46.

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

:38:47.:38:52.

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

:38:53.:38:55.

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

:38:56.:39:01.

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

:39:02.:39:07.

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

:39:08.:39:12.

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

:39:13.:39:17.

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

:39:18.:39:23.

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

:39:24.:39:26.

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

:39:27.:39:31.

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

:39:32.:39:37.

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

:39:38.:39:40.

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

:39:41.:39:45.

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

:39:46.:39:58.

enormous amount of subsidies used to encourage intensive farming. Could

:39:59.:40:04.

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

:40:05.:40:12.

our subsidies could encourage the restoration of the environment,

:40:13.:40:18.

rather than its conservation? We will look at representations from

:40:19.:40:22.

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

:40:23.:40:27.

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

:40:28.:40:30.

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

:40:31.:40:38.

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

:40:39.:40:44.

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

:40:45.:40:48.

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

:40:49.:40:53.

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

:40:54.:40:59.

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

:41:00.:41:08.

constituents will be concerned that there interest should not be

:41:09.:41:11.

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

:41:12.:41:15.

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

:41:16.:41:22.

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

:41:23.:41:35.

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

:41:36.:41:39.

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

:41:40.:41:44.

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

:41:45.:41:49.

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

:41:50.:41:55.

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

:41:56.:41:58.

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

:41:59.:42:05.

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

:42:06.:42:09.

these practices environmental vandalism, they are having a

:42:10.:42:12.

devastating impact on local fishing communities. Can the Minister is

:42:13.:42:18.

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

:42:19.:42:21.

the concern, particularly around pulse trolling in the southern North

:42:22.:42:27.

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

:42:28.:42:31.

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

:42:32.:42:36.

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

:42:37.:42:47.

negotiations on the TTIP deal, concerns were raised about products

:42:48.:42:55.

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

:42:56.:42:58.

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

:42:59.:43:06.

those products on? The USA represents USA interests in

:43:07.:43:08.

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

:43:09.:43:14.

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

:43:15.:43:18.

areas in which we will

:43:19.:43:19.

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