:00:00. > :00:15.Order, order. Questions to the sector even Steinman for food and
:00:16. > :00:27.rural affairs, Rachel Maskell. -- the Secretary of State for food and
:00:28. > :00:30.rural affairs. Thank you. UK has made significant progress in
:00:31. > :00:37.improving air quality in the last decade with low emissions of all
:00:38. > :00:40.five major air pollutants and UK is among 17 European countries
:00:41. > :00:46.including France and Germany who are not yet meeting EU emission targets
:00:47. > :00:48.for nitrogen dioxide in parts of our towns and cities and to help address
:00:49. > :00:59.this last year the government consulted on a Finnair zone -- clean
:01:00. > :01:07.air zone report. Following three humiliating defeats in the courts
:01:08. > :01:13.because of poor air quality and when the government defended the
:01:14. > :01:16.indefensible. Labour believes we need to go further with an air
:01:17. > :01:20.quality national framework as part of the clean air act. So what are
:01:21. > :01:24.the main pillars of this plan and how much resource has the minister
:01:25. > :01:31.allocated to addressing the UK's poor air quality in this plan? It is
:01:32. > :01:38.a great shame that the lady criticises this government who since
:01:39. > :01:43.2011 have committed more than ?2 billion to increase the uptake of
:01:44. > :01:46.low emissions vehicles and support greener transport schemes and set
:01:47. > :01:53.out how we will improve air quality to a new programme of clean air
:01:54. > :01:56.zones. In addition we announced a further ?290 million to support low
:01:57. > :02:01.emission buses and taxis and retrofitting alternative fuels and
:02:02. > :02:12.we will be consulting on our plans to improve nitrogen oxide emissions
:02:13. > :02:17.very shortly. I don't want to be intemperate with the minister, but
:02:18. > :02:22.it is so much par in the sky, every time we have questions she says
:02:23. > :02:29.something will come soon -- pie in the sky. When are we going to stop
:02:30. > :02:33.people being poisoned in our cities and in our towns in places like
:02:34. > :02:40.Huddersfield and when are we going to see action, now, not next week,
:02:41. > :02:47.next month, next year? Let me be very clear, this government is
:02:48. > :02:50.totally committed to cutting harmful emissions that worsen our air
:02:51. > :02:53.quality and we have made great progress already in the last decade
:02:54. > :02:58.which is more than the Labour government did. Emissions went out
:02:59. > :03:01.under their watch, and we recognise that there is more to do, and we
:03:02. > :03:11.will be publishing our proposals very soon. I'm very concerned about
:03:12. > :03:13.the diesel cars and the number of people who bought diesel cars
:03:14. > :03:18.thinking they were the cheap way forward. With the minister make sure
:03:19. > :03:22.she discusses with the Transport Secretary and Treasury so that we
:03:23. > :03:27.don't patronise them and we work with the vodka amongst, as well. We
:03:28. > :03:31.need to find a way to look after them as well -- and we work with the
:03:32. > :03:38.devolved governments, as well. You are right. We have got to take into
:03:39. > :03:42.account the impact on ordinary working families and businesses and
:03:43. > :03:45.as the Prime Minister has made clear we completely understand that people
:03:46. > :03:49.bought diesel cars under incentives from the last Labour government,
:03:50. > :03:53.they bought them in good faith and we need to make sure that they are
:03:54. > :04:00.not penalised for those actions that they took. Will the minister
:04:01. > :04:07.consider a targeted diesel scrappage scheme which supports low income
:04:08. > :04:13.families? The opportunity to do so was missed last year and in the
:04:14. > :04:21.budget. I can assure you that the government is looking at all
:04:22. > :04:26.possible areas both to improve the emissions of noxious substances like
:04:27. > :04:29.nitrous oxide and also to make sure we have good mitigation
:04:30. > :04:38.across-the-board to support ordinary working families. All types of
:04:39. > :04:43.mitigation are on the table. We have a very low air pollution quality in
:04:44. > :04:48.Northern Ireland and it is essential that the national framework is to
:04:49. > :04:56.the nation work. -- is truly nationwide. What discussions have
:04:57. > :05:01.you had with our colleagues in the Northern Ireland assembly? I can
:05:02. > :05:06.assure you that we have had discussions across the default
:05:07. > :05:09.administration is on this subject, -- the devolved administrations on
:05:10. > :05:15.this subject, which they take very seriously, and we take this very
:05:16. > :05:22.seriously and we will make an announcement in June course. The
:05:23. > :05:27.Great Repeal Bill will make sure that the whole body of existing EU
:05:28. > :05:29.environmental law will have an effect in UK law, but over time
:05:30. > :05:36.Parliament will have the opportunity to make sure that our framework is
:05:37. > :05:39.delivering on our overall commitment to improve the environment within a
:05:40. > :05:47.generation and I can assure the House that the government will hop
:05:48. > :05:56.-- uphold our obligations and we will continue to seek other
:05:57. > :06:00.countries to do so, as well. Ensuring this comes through the
:06:01. > :06:04.Great Repeal Bill, that is fine, but making sure those regulations permit
:06:05. > :06:16.is also as so will the government is committed not limiting the time
:06:17. > :06:18.frame? The country decided to leave the European Union last year we are
:06:19. > :06:22.trying to give as much certainty as possible to make sure that
:06:23. > :06:29.regulations continue -- and we are trying. As a consequence that will
:06:30. > :06:31.be the case. I'm concerned that he thinks that somehow we're going to
:06:32. > :06:39.rip up the wall book, but that is not the outcome, we want to better
:06:40. > :06:42.our environment for this generation and future demotions and that is
:06:43. > :06:49.what this government will deliver -- rule book. EU regulations have been
:06:50. > :06:53.very helpful to people like me and you when holding the feet to the
:06:54. > :06:57.fire of HS to when it comes to protecting our environment. Could
:06:58. > :07:02.the minister give me an undertaking that she will not allow any
:07:03. > :07:06.diminishing to areas of outstanding beauty and she will make sure that
:07:07. > :07:12.our exiting of the European Union does not hand a blank cheque to pay
:07:13. > :07:18.just to ride roughshod through the countryside? The government has
:07:19. > :07:21.committed that in developing pages two and other infrastructure we will
:07:22. > :07:29.uphold the highest infrastructure standards that we cherish. Whilst
:07:30. > :07:34.she is working on the EU egg quality regulations, can I echo the call in
:07:35. > :07:39.the last question for a national framework on rather than the ad hoc
:07:40. > :07:43.local decision-making, especially as admissions are actually declining at
:07:44. > :07:48.the moment, and in drawing up the framework, can I urge the minister
:07:49. > :07:51.to look at all causes of air pollution to properly cost
:07:52. > :07:54.alternatives especially the cost to drivers and attacks by and to urge
:07:55. > :08:01.the government to stop demonising diesel drivers. It is fair to say
:08:02. > :08:04.that as we have said at this dispatch box before, when we are
:08:05. > :08:11.tackling a quality we have got to work with local communities because
:08:12. > :08:16.the solution will vary. This government is not demonising diesel
:08:17. > :08:19.drivers, I'm afraid, and it was the Labour government that introduced
:08:20. > :08:22.the incentives for people to start using diesel and it happens to be
:08:23. > :08:28.that the current Mayor of London said in his last year in the Gordon
:08:29. > :08:31.Brown government where he said the emission standards would solve this
:08:32. > :08:35.problem, but we know that is not the case and we are clearing up that
:08:36. > :08:41.mess. We can work across cross party lines to clear up there for the
:08:42. > :08:44.people we represent. One of the standards we can improve on outside
:08:45. > :08:49.of the European Union as much as inside is the state of the oceans.
:08:50. > :08:52.As the minister will know there is a massive amount of dumping of plastic
:08:53. > :08:57.that is damaging the Sea life and the Coral well-being. There is a
:08:58. > :09:01.conference in the United States between the fifth and the 9th of
:09:02. > :09:05.June. Ministers will be busy doing other things, what is she going to
:09:06. > :09:09.do to make sure that the British voice is heard to make sure that we
:09:10. > :09:17.are going to do something to clean up our ocean? We launched our
:09:18. > :09:20.strategy recently and we know a lot of the litter that ends up in the
:09:21. > :09:25.marine comes from the land and we need to make sure that we continue
:09:26. > :09:28.to work on that matter. Ring conservation is something important
:09:29. > :09:32.in this government and we are going to extend our blue belt around the
:09:33. > :09:39.coastline of this country -- marine conservation. The oceans conference
:09:40. > :09:42.in June, and he points out there is a general election, but nevertheless
:09:43. > :09:43.I can assure you that the interests of the United Kingdom in providing
:09:44. > :09:57.leadership will be well undertaken. While the great appeal bill may
:09:58. > :10:01.bring short-term stability and a working institute book, it remains
:10:02. > :10:07.to be seen if this government or indeed future governmenting will
:10:08. > :10:13.take reaction to erode the environmental policies as they exist
:10:14. > :10:18.now. What assurance are there to my constituents who are deep concerns
:10:19. > :10:23.over environmental protections post Brexit? I can assure the House and
:10:24. > :10:28.the honourable lady's constituents, that the Government has been clear
:10:29. > :10:32.on the manifesto from 2015, to leave the environment in a better state
:10:33. > :10:41.than we found it, and that is what this Government will continue to do.
:10:42. > :10:48.The minister announced on the 24th of November, 2015, the UK Government
:10:49. > :10:58.would ban INAUDIBLE
:10:59. > :11:04.Imports by 2017. What improvements have been made on this? I didn't
:11:05. > :11:09.quite catch the opening of the question when referring to something
:11:10. > :11:14.from 2015. But I wish to assure that the imports are taken on a case by
:11:15. > :11:19.case basis and we continue to work with other countries to conserve
:11:20. > :11:23.important species around the world. The UK is a global leader. We will
:11:24. > :11:30.continue to influence other countries on this.
:11:31. > :11:36.With your permission, I will group question four and question seven.
:11:37. > :11:43.The consultation closed on the 28th of February and it is our intention
:11:44. > :11:50.to introduce legislation with a ban on manufacturing from the 1st of
:11:51. > :11:53.January 2018, and a ban on sales from June 2018 as outlined in the
:11:54. > :11:59.proposals. I support the plans to ban
:12:00. > :12:04.microbeads in cosmetics and personal care products but that probably
:12:05. > :12:08.accounts for the 4% of the microplastics polluting our rivers
:12:09. > :12:14.and oceans, what is the Government doing to tackle the other types of
:12:15. > :12:21.microplastics that we would like to stop polluting our rivers and
:12:22. > :12:27.oceans? There was evidence gathered on the extent of the environmental
:12:28. > :12:33.impact on plastics and we are reviewing that and new #e6d will be
:12:34. > :12:39.used to reform in the future. There is looking at the strategy of
:12:40. > :12:45.plastic bottles and on the go consumption that we are looking at.
:12:46. > :12:50.We must be careful taking this forward as microbeads and plastics
:12:51. > :12:58.are the outcomes of recycling bottles, into making fleeces and so.
:12:59. > :13:05.I was recently rummaging through my wife's collection of sham pews and
:13:06. > :13:15.to my horror found a plastic container of owlaway anti-wrinkle
:13:16. > :13:21.and -- Olay, complete with microbeads. Neither the Secretary of
:13:22. > :13:27.State or her minister will have the need for the product but will she
:13:28. > :13:32.get on the telephone to Proctor and Gamble, to say that selling this
:13:33. > :13:39.product is outrageous and it should be withdrawn at once! Well, Mr
:13:40. > :13:44.Speaker, what I found extraordinary is that lady Bellingham is a
:13:45. > :13:49.flawless picture and even needs the products. I'm sure that my
:13:50. > :13:52.honourable friend will be buying flowers later today to make up for
:13:53. > :13:56.this. It is fair to say, Mr Speaker, we
:13:57. > :14:01.are working with the manufactures now and a lot of them are starting
:14:02. > :14:08.to remove the products. That is good news. We want to make sure that the
:14:09. > :14:19.avoidable pollution is taken out of our environment permanently.
:14:20. > :14:23.Mr Speaker, we readily meet EU counterparts at agriculture and
:14:24. > :14:29.fisheries council and environment council and food and drink issues
:14:30. > :14:35.are on the agenda and we meet to discuss a bilateral soon.
:14:36. > :14:44.The great and noble county of Lincolnshire is the bread basket of
:14:45. > :14:53.England and much of the food comes from our county.
:14:54. > :15:01.Glycophate, can the minister assure that its use could be reauthorised?
:15:02. > :15:10.As my honourable friend knows that the European Union is reviewing the
:15:11. > :15:15.use of Glyphocate, and those that have led that work are clear it is a
:15:16. > :15:22.safe product and the UK is backing a position in line with the science to
:15:23. > :15:28.continue to authors this product. -- authorise this product.
:15:29. > :15:35.On the 18th of June, 2015, on convergence uplift. 230 million
:15:36. > :15:42.Euros that should have flowed to Scottish farming and since then the
:15:43. > :15:46.minister has demonstrated an ability for procrastination that my children
:15:47. > :15:52.can only envy. But this is not children's homework. It is
:15:53. > :15:56.fundamental money that is important. It is a matter of trust. The
:15:57. > :16:02.minister wants us to believe we can trust him. Where is this money? How
:16:03. > :16:08.can Scottish farming trust the Government? The honourable gentleman
:16:09. > :16:12.and I have discussed this. He is aware that the review last year was
:16:13. > :16:16.delayed because of the referendum that changed the context
:16:17. > :16:21.dramatically. We are continuing to have discussions with Scottish
:16:22. > :16:25.industry, and yesterday I met NFUS to discuss future agriculture
:16:26. > :16:30.policy. What could be done to encourage the
:16:31. > :16:36.European Union to promote the processes of food stuffs in
:16:37. > :16:39.developing countries, thinking of olive oil and coffee, where the
:16:40. > :16:48.value added tends to be within the European Union? Where the UK and a
:16:49. > :16:52.number of other European countries have preferential trade agreements
:16:53. > :16:56.in place to support developmenting countries, to give them tariff free
:16:57. > :17:01.access to the European markets, this is an important development. And the
:17:02. > :17:07.issues raised are discussed at the EU agriculture council.
:17:08. > :17:14.An important part of food processing sector is the fishing industry. As
:17:15. > :17:16.part of those discussions with EU ministerial counterparts, what
:17:17. > :17:22.progress or what efforts will be made to ensure that there is no
:17:23. > :17:28.border in the Irish Sea which would permit fishermen to fish in both
:17:29. > :17:33.parts as they currently can? The honourable lady knows that there has
:17:34. > :17:38.been an issue with the long standing agreement between the UK and the
:17:39. > :17:43.Irish Republic. There had beenen an issue with the Irish courts. I
:17:44. > :17:47.discussed this a council of weeks ago with the Irish minister to talk
:17:48. > :17:54.about arrangements we may have after Brexit.
:17:55. > :17:59.Like my honourable friend and neighbour for Gainsborough I have
:18:00. > :18:03.the honour of representing the questions where the farmers feed the
:18:04. > :18:09.country. Will my honourable friend work to ensure that the farmers are
:18:10. > :18:15.not put at a disadvantage with their EU competitors when these exciting
:18:16. > :18:22.new trade deals are noeshted? -- negotiated? Well, she has a very
:18:23. > :18:26.important farming constituency. I know I myself worked in the farming
:18:27. > :18:31.industry for ten years. I am passionate about it. I have been
:18:32. > :18:34.going up and down the country meeting farmers, discussing
:18:35. > :18:38.concerns. We have a fantastic opportunity on leave leafing the
:18:39. > :18:42.European Union to design a new agriculture policy that is fit for
:18:43. > :18:47.purpose. Press reports this week suggest that
:18:48. > :18:53.the Danish government may press for restrictions on UK fish imports to
:18:54. > :19:02.the EU if the Danish fleet lose access to mostly Scottish fishing
:19:03. > :19:06.waters. That would have serious implications for the Scottish fish
:19:07. > :19:09.producers. What conversations has the minister had with the Danish
:19:10. > :19:17.counterpart this week and will he tell us what the solutions are that
:19:18. > :19:21.he is proposing? I have been in regular meetings with the EU
:19:22. > :19:25.counterparts. I believe that the Danish minister is planning a visit
:19:26. > :19:31.to the UK. I hope to meet him then. But you should not worry about the
:19:32. > :19:35.opening positions that people may take in a negotiation, it matters
:19:36. > :19:40.what the UK Government is willing to grant. The Scottish fishing industry
:19:41. > :19:46.does not want to be dragged quicking and screaming to the EU, they want
:19:47. > :19:52.to leave the EU, to leave the CFP, to take control of their waters.
:19:53. > :19:56.The fishing industry is forwent my constituency, can you update fishers
:19:57. > :20:05.there and around the UK about when and if the Government is to trigger
:20:06. > :20:11.their intention to withdraw from the London 1964 fisheries convention?
:20:12. > :20:14.There is a 1964 London fisheries convention with access arrangements
:20:15. > :20:19.for a number of countries. As we have made clear we are looking at
:20:20. > :20:20.this closely. As the Prime Minister said two weeks ago, we hope to say
:20:21. > :20:44.something on this shortly. Mr Speaker, since 2015, DEFRA has
:20:45. > :20:50.opened or improved terms for 160 agriculture commodities and we work
:20:51. > :21:00.with industries to prioritise and increase new market values.
:21:01. > :21:03.In my role as trade to Nigeria I invited the Nigerian Culture
:21:04. > :21:06.Minister to come to the UK. It is important to show the whole of the
:21:07. > :21:13.value chain in agriculture in which we do so well? I commend the work my
:21:14. > :21:18.friend does. Building relations with Nigeria, building the important
:21:19. > :21:22.trading links. He is right, Nigeria is an important market for fisheries
:21:23. > :21:28.products, such as mackerel. I'm delighted to hear he has invited him
:21:29. > :21:32.here to see the work we do through the supply chain and the technology
:21:33. > :21:35.we have to reduce waste in the supply chain.
:21:36. > :21:41.Does the minister recognise it is absolutely crucial that the need to
:21:42. > :21:46.the agriculture sector are placed at the heart of the Brexit
:21:47. > :21:52.negotiations? Is it not clear if the Government doesn't get t it's act
:21:53. > :21:58.together, a bad Brexit deal leaves the British farmers and food
:21:59. > :22:03.producers faces a double whammy on taxes on exports? Access to the UK
:22:04. > :22:09.market is important for the European countries as well. While we export
:22:10. > :22:14.about ?11 billion of food and drink to the European Union, we import
:22:15. > :22:17.some ?28 billion from the EU, so farming unions across the EU are
:22:18. > :22:21.telling their governments we must have a free trade agreement with the
:22:22. > :22:25.UK. How does the Government intend to
:22:26. > :22:31.deliver on the promises? The C LA is saying that Government should admit
:22:32. > :22:37.it cannot design a workable new agriculture policy in less than two
:22:38. > :22:41.years as DEFRA does not have the capacity so the fail you arure to
:22:42. > :22:45.reach the agreement could leave us unable to compete at home and
:22:46. > :22:49.abroad. So specifically, what guarantees can the minister provide
:22:50. > :22:53.today, to rural communities across the country, that farming subsidies
:22:54. > :23:02.and tariff free trade is guaranteed under a Tory Government? I would
:23:03. > :23:06.simply say that the honourable lady, we have tremendous accountsly
:23:07. > :23:10.talented officials in DEFRA and our agencies who have been working
:23:11. > :23:13.closely on the detail behind the design of the agriculture and the
:23:14. > :23:19.issues and the Prime Minister is clear to make an offer to the other
:23:20. > :23:23.European countries, that is a bold, ambitious and a comprehensive trade
:23:24. > :23:30.agreement. A market that the farmers in
:23:31. > :23:33.northern Lincolnshire are hoping to expand is on biofuel. They are
:23:34. > :23:37.concerned with the Government's commitment. Can the minister
:23:38. > :23:45.reassure that is a market for future expansion? We see a role for bio
:23:46. > :23:51.ethanol fuels but with Korean to ensure we don't lose good
:23:52. > :23:55.agriculture land to biofuels. The honourable gentleman, friend is
:23:56. > :24:00.aware this is an issue for the department of transplant. I invite
:24:01. > :24:04.him to race the issue with them in the next Parliament.
:24:05. > :24:11.My friend pointed out that the markets are not necessarily country
:24:12. > :24:15.based but product based. The UK has a tremendous base for lactose free
:24:16. > :24:19.milk. What can we do to encourage the UK producers to develop this
:24:20. > :24:23.product in the UK, manufactured in the UK?
:24:24. > :24:28.We have a very strong dairy industry in this country and there are lots
:24:29. > :24:32.of opportunities like that and we have established things like the
:24:33. > :24:38.food innovation networks and we have things such as the agri- tech fund
:24:39. > :24:49.and others to support innovative product development. Energy prices
:24:50. > :24:56.and exchange rates Abby Kane drivers of changes in agricultural commodity
:24:57. > :25:02.markets -- are the key drivers. There was a sharp spike in food
:25:03. > :25:05.prices in 2008 and food prices levelled off six years later and
:25:06. > :25:12.fell by 7% over the next two years and over the past year we have seen
:25:13. > :25:18.a modest increase of around 1.3%. I thank the minister for his response,
:25:19. > :25:23.but the facts are that the ONS are reporting a surge in food prices
:25:24. > :25:26.which is likely to rise. Children are returning to school hungry after
:25:27. > :25:33.the east of days and the elderly are admitted to hospital for
:25:34. > :25:38.malnourishment -- after the Easter holidays. Because they refuse to
:25:39. > :25:44.measure it, otherwise they would have to admit culpability. You are
:25:45. > :25:50.wrong. We have a long-standing living cost of food survey which is
:25:51. > :25:53.run for many years. And which includes a measure for household
:25:54. > :25:57.spending amongst the 20% poorest households and I can tell her that
:25:58. > :26:06.household spending in those households has remained steady at
:26:07. > :26:13.16% for at least a decade. On the matter further, Mr Marcus Fish.
:26:14. > :26:15.LAUGHTER Farmers are proud of the
:26:16. > :26:21.high-quality food they produce, no matter what it is, but what of the
:26:22. > :26:30.opportunities that the ministers see of us leaving the EU to make sure
:26:31. > :26:35.they get a fair price for that food? As you know, we have recently had a
:26:36. > :26:37.call for evidence and a review of the adjudicator and there has been
:26:38. > :26:44.representation which we should consider extending the remit of that
:26:45. > :26:47.further up the supply chain. But I do believe that the grocery code
:26:48. > :26:54.adjudicator has made a very good start in improving the relationship
:26:55. > :26:58.between producers and supermarkets. It is quite common in food
:26:59. > :27:06.processing plants for 70% of the employees to be EU migrants. Where
:27:07. > :27:09.are they start going to come from in the future? Is the minister
:27:10. > :27:19.committed to defending this sector in the negotiations to come from? I
:27:20. > :27:22.can reassure you that we have had regular meetings with food
:27:23. > :27:27.processors and just a couple of days ago I had a meeting with the new
:27:28. > :27:33.president of the food and drink Federation and this initiative was
:27:34. > :27:37.raised by them. Around 30% of employees in the food processing
:27:38. > :27:40.sector are from other countries in the EU, but the Prime Minister has
:27:41. > :27:45.been very clear that she would like to safeguard and protect the rights
:27:46. > :27:48.of EU citizens that are here and she will expect that to be reciprocated
:27:49. > :27:55.and that can be agreed early in the negotiations will stop may I remind
:27:56. > :28:03.him again at the paradox that we staff the poor by refusing to buy
:28:04. > :28:09.their food from them -- staff. You make a very good point. As I said
:28:10. > :28:17.earlier, we do give preferential trade access to some developing
:28:18. > :28:20.countries, the ACP countries especially important in areas like
:28:21. > :28:29.sugar and this is important for them to develop those industries. My
:28:30. > :28:34.friend is right to raise this issue and I share her concerns about this.
:28:35. > :28:42.She will recognise that we want to get these proposals right as soon as
:28:43. > :28:45.we can. With the ministry agree that rigorous enforcement when this
:28:46. > :28:52.policy is in place is one of the most vital elements? -- would be. I
:28:53. > :28:57.entirely agree, robust enforcement is very important, and chivalrous
:28:58. > :29:03.denies that the police do a great job of enforcing the current rules
:29:04. > :29:08.-- and she will agree that the police. We need a strategic approach
:29:09. > :29:13.to tackling this trade and that is about the enforcement and tackling
:29:14. > :29:24.demand so that together we can help solve the poaching crisis. Question
:29:25. > :29:27.11. I very much enjoyed my visit to her constituency last week and it
:29:28. > :29:32.was a great pleasure to meet with some of her growers including
:29:33. > :29:35.Aberdeen farm to discuss seasonal Labour and I'm very aware of their
:29:36. > :29:40.concerns about the Labour supply issues. The government plans to
:29:41. > :29:45.commission advice from the committee and to consult with businesses later
:29:46. > :29:52.this year. They this we had a very agreeable excursion. -- they
:29:53. > :29:58.obviously. Can I thank my friend for coming to Kent and visiting one of
:29:59. > :30:01.my local fruit farms. And for listening to the growers who
:30:02. > :30:08.assembled there. Especially as it was in the Easter recess. Could she
:30:09. > :30:11.give me an update on the discussions she has had with the Home Office on
:30:12. > :30:18.introducing the much-needed seasonal agricultural permit scheme? Not only
:30:19. > :30:24.did I visit your constituency but also her neighbour in Maidstone, had
:30:25. > :30:30.a lovely day, in the county I grew up in, but she is right. A very
:30:31. > :30:35.important issue and the government has assessed the need for a pilot
:30:36. > :30:38.scheme, seasonal worker scheme, and they have said there is not the
:30:39. > :30:44.evidence that there is such a thing needed. The migration advisory
:30:45. > :30:47.committee and a consultation with businesses later this year will seek
:30:48. > :30:52.to get to the bottom of exactly what we need is and this government is
:30:53. > :31:01.committed to making a huge success for the food and farming sector as
:31:02. > :31:12.we leave the EU. Topical questions. As this is the last one before
:31:13. > :31:19.the... And secondly for us to be the first
:31:20. > :31:27.generation to leave the environment in a better state than we left it.
:31:28. > :31:33.-- found it. We publish the first litter strategy for England and we
:31:34. > :31:41.announced a ?10 grant scheme to restore the iconic peatlands. What
:31:42. > :31:44.is she doing to support the fishermen and the under ten metre
:31:45. > :31:52.fleet which is 33 feet in English money? I'm glad he can still do the
:31:53. > :31:55.sums. We have taken a number of measures to make sure the fleet is
:31:56. > :31:59.more economically sustainable and for example we have taken our used
:32:00. > :32:05.quota from the over ten metre vessels and transferred this to the
:32:06. > :32:08.under ten metre representing a 14% uplift to the under ten metre fleet
:32:09. > :32:13.so we continue to top slice the quota uplift which is now more than
:32:14. > :32:20.a thousand times in order to help the under ten metre fleet. Contrary
:32:21. > :32:23.to what the minister said earlier, recent inflation figures reveal that
:32:24. > :32:31.food prices are rising at the fastest race in three years, at over
:32:32. > :32:34.?21 which has been added to the average shopping bill in the last
:32:35. > :32:41.three months alone. When will the Secretary of State get a grip on the
:32:42. > :32:48.soaring cost of living? As I pointed out earlier to the question that was
:32:49. > :32:55.raised, we saw the biggest spike in food prices in 2008 because of
:32:56. > :32:59.energy prices and food prices fell after that, and now we have had a
:33:00. > :33:07.modest increase in the last 12 months of 1.3%. Rising food prices
:33:08. > :33:12.simply adds to the burden on those with little money for food. As the
:33:13. > :33:19.Food Standards Agency has reported that one in the four low income
:33:20. > :33:22.families struggle to eat regularly and the equality commission says
:33:23. > :33:28.disabled people are over two times more likely to be living in food
:33:29. > :33:31.poverty. How much longer can the Secretary of State refused to
:33:32. > :33:40.monitor and publish figures on UK food insecurity and food bag usage?
:33:41. > :33:44.-- bank. We have always monitored spending on food through the living
:33:45. > :33:48.cost of food survey and the spending on food amongst the poorest 20% has
:33:49. > :33:53.been stable at 16% for over a decade. But I would say this, this
:33:54. > :33:56.government has put more people in employment than ever before and has
:33:57. > :34:00.taken more people off benefits and giving them an income and that is
:34:01. > :34:06.the way you tackle poverty. -- given. It is not just the coastal
:34:07. > :34:11.areas of Lincolnshire which are prone to flooding and whilst the
:34:12. > :34:14.government has invested record amounts it is also England areas
:34:15. > :34:22.which are prone to flooding in places like Lincolnshire. -- inland
:34:23. > :34:27.areas. What more can be done to help protect people and properties? You
:34:28. > :34:31.are right to raise the importance of natural flood management. As I saw
:34:32. > :34:34.myself on a recent visit to Leicester where I launched ?1
:34:35. > :34:38.million competition for natural flood protection, in the back place
:34:39. > :34:45.it can absolutely help alongside more traditional measures. -- the
:34:46. > :34:47.right place. We are investing a total of ?15 billion to fund
:34:48. > :34:52.management schemes across the country and they will help support
:34:53. > :34:59.many communities from flood risk stash ?15 million. Surely the
:35:00. > :35:02.Secretary of State will have the good sense in speaking up for free
:35:03. > :35:10.movement of workers is the easiest way to avoid horrendous shortages in
:35:11. > :35:14.the food and drink industry. We have already addressed the issue of
:35:15. > :35:19.seasonal workers in the agricultural sector and is important we assess
:35:20. > :35:22.the needs. As far as those workers who have all the made their lives
:35:23. > :35:27.and work in this country, as the Prime Minister has said, it is her
:35:28. > :35:31.intention to make sure that those rights are protected provided that
:35:32. > :35:35.the EU reciprocates. It is right to look after British workers who have
:35:36. > :35:38.moved to the European Union at the same time as protecting the very
:35:39. > :35:45.valuable contribution that EU citizens make in the UK. In the
:35:46. > :35:50.interests of customer choice and transparency, isn't it time that all
:35:51. > :35:55.have our and kosher meat products where properly labelled at the point
:35:56. > :35:58.of sale? This would benefit those people who want to buy as well as
:35:59. > :36:05.those who particularly don't want to buy it. You have been a
:36:06. > :36:09.long-standing campaigner on this and we have discussed it on numerous
:36:10. > :36:13.occasions. The government is committed to giving consumers as
:36:14. > :36:16.much transparency as possible and to improving labelling where we can,
:36:17. > :36:23.and I know he understands there are difficulties in that business single
:36:24. > :36:26.definition of kosher and that makes compulsory labelling complex, and he
:36:27. > :36:30.is aware that the European Union has been looking at this, and when we
:36:31. > :36:36.leave, this will be an opportunity for us to look at all of these
:36:37. > :36:44.issues. The 25 year food and farming plan, the 25 year environment plan,
:36:45. > :36:49.these are supposedly to be promised but the summer, but that was some
:36:50. > :36:51.2016, and the Secretary of State has filed for the environment and
:36:52. > :36:56.farmers and the food industry and failed to keep her promise. People
:36:57. > :37:04.are losing their jobs and incomes on her watch, when will these plans see
:37:05. > :37:07.the light of day? You might be aware that there was a very significant
:37:08. > :37:11.decision taken by the people of the United Kingdom last summer to leave
:37:12. > :37:16.the European Union. We have been very clear about our ambition is to
:37:17. > :37:23.make a success of the sector and to be the version narration that leaves
:37:24. > :37:27.in a better place -- and to be the first generation that leaves the
:37:28. > :37:34.environment in a better place than we found it. Evidence to give us a
:37:35. > :37:43.very clear idea, to give a future outside of the EU that is more
:37:44. > :37:46.successful than ever. Further to the question, would the minister please
:37:47. > :37:52.give my constituents the reassurance they need that should the European
:37:53. > :37:59.Commission choose not to follow the recommendation and decide to ban the
:38:00. > :38:05.use of bison -- the use of... Remains possible. A response to the
:38:06. > :38:10.earlier question, the evidence is fairly clear, they believe it is
:38:11. > :38:13.safe and it has always been the UK position to follow the science and
:38:14. > :38:18.the evidence on pesticide decisions and that is why we support the
:38:19. > :38:24.reauthorisation of this and we will continue to have an evidence -based
:38:25. > :38:27.approach when we leave the EU.