Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Questions House of Commons


Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Questions

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Order, order. Questions to the sector even Steinman for food and

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rural affairs, Rachel Maskell. -- the Secretary of State for food and

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rural affairs. Thank you. UK has made significant progress in

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improving air quality in the last decade with low emissions of all

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five major air pollutants and UK is among 17 European countries

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including France and Germany who are not yet meeting EU emission targets

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for nitrogen dioxide in parts of our towns and cities and to help address

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this last year the government consulted on a Finnair zone -- clean

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air zone report. Following three humiliating defeats in the courts

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because of poor air quality and when the government defended the

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indefensible. Labour believes we need to go further with an air

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quality national framework as part of the clean air act. So what are

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the main pillars of this plan and how much resource has the minister

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allocated to addressing the UK's poor air quality in this plan? It is

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a great shame that the lady criticises this government who since

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2011 have committed more than ?2 billion to increase the uptake of

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low emissions vehicles and support greener transport schemes and set

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out how we will improve air quality to a new programme of clean air

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zones. In addition we announced a further ?290 million to support low

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emission buses and taxis and retrofitting alternative fuels and

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we will be consulting on our plans to improve nitrogen oxide emissions

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very shortly. I don't want to be intemperate with the minister, but

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it is so much par in the sky, every time we have questions she says

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something will come soon -- pie in the sky. When are we going to stop

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people being poisoned in our cities and in our towns in places like

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Huddersfield and when are we going to see action, now, not next week,

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next month, next year? Let me be very clear, this government is

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totally committed to cutting harmful emissions that worsen our air

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quality and we have made great progress already in the last decade

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which is more than the Labour government did. Emissions went out

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under their watch, and we recognise that there is more to do, and we

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will be publishing our proposals very soon. I'm very concerned about

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the diesel cars and the number of people who bought diesel cars

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thinking they were the cheap way forward. With the minister make sure

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she discusses with the Transport Secretary and Treasury so that we

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don't patronise them and we work with the vodka amongst, as well. We

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need to find a way to look after them as well -- and we work with the

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devolved governments, as well. You are right. We have got to take into

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account the impact on ordinary working families and businesses and

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as the Prime Minister has made clear we completely understand that people

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bought diesel cars under incentives from the last Labour government,

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they bought them in good faith and we need to make sure that they are

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not penalised for those actions that they took. Will the minister

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consider a targeted diesel scrappage scheme which supports low income

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families? The opportunity to do so was missed last year and in the

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budget. I can assure you that the government is looking at all

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possible areas both to improve the emissions of noxious substances like

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nitrous oxide and also to make sure we have good mitigation

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across-the-board to support ordinary working families. All types of

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mitigation are on the table. We have a very low air pollution quality in

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Northern Ireland and it is essential that the national framework is to

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the nation work. -- is truly nationwide. What discussions have

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you had with our colleagues in the Northern Ireland assembly? I can

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assure you that we have had discussions across the default

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administration is on this subject, -- the devolved administrations on

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this subject, which they take very seriously, and we take this very

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seriously and we will make an announcement in June course. The

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Great Repeal Bill will make sure that the whole body of existing EU

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environmental law will have an effect in UK law, but over time

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Parliament will have the opportunity to make sure that our framework is

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delivering on our overall commitment to improve the environment within a

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generation and I can assure the House that the government will hop

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-- uphold our obligations and we will continue to seek other

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countries to do so, as well. Ensuring this comes through the

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Great Repeal Bill, that is fine, but making sure those regulations permit

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is also as so will the government is committed not limiting the time

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frame? The country decided to leave the European Union last year we are

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trying to give as much certainty as possible to make sure that

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regulations continue -- and we are trying. As a consequence that will

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be the case. I'm concerned that he thinks that somehow we're going to

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rip up the wall book, but that is not the outcome, we want to better

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our environment for this generation and future demotions and that is

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what this government will deliver -- rule book. EU regulations have been

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very helpful to people like me and you when holding the feet to the

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fire of HS to when it comes to protecting our environment. Could

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the minister give me an undertaking that she will not allow any

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diminishing to areas of outstanding beauty and she will make sure that

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our exiting of the European Union does not hand a blank cheque to pay

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just to ride roughshod through the countryside? The government has

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committed that in developing pages two and other infrastructure we will

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uphold the highest infrastructure standards that we cherish. Whilst

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she is working on the EU egg quality regulations, can I echo the call in

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the last question for a national framework on rather than the ad hoc

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local decision-making, especially as admissions are actually declining at

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the moment, and in drawing up the framework, can I urge the minister

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to look at all causes of air pollution to properly cost

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alternatives especially the cost to drivers and attacks by and to urge

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the government to stop demonising diesel drivers. It is fair to say

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that as we have said at this dispatch box before, when we are

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tackling a quality we have got to work with local communities because

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the solution will vary. This government is not demonising diesel

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drivers, I'm afraid, and it was the Labour government that introduced

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the incentives for people to start using diesel and it happens to be

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that the current Mayor of London said in his last year in the Gordon

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Brown government where he said the emission standards would solve this

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problem, but we know that is not the case and we are clearing up that

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mess. We can work across cross party lines to clear up there for the

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people we represent. One of the standards we can improve on outside

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of the European Union as much as inside is the state of the oceans.

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As the minister will know there is a massive amount of dumping of plastic

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that is damaging the Sea life and the Coral well-being. There is a

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conference in the United States between the fifth and the 9th of

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June. Ministers will be busy doing other things, what is she going to

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do to make sure that the British voice is heard to make sure that we

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are going to do something to clean up our ocean? We launched our

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strategy recently and we know a lot of the litter that ends up in the

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marine comes from the land and we need to make sure that we continue

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to work on that matter. Ring conservation is something important

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in this government and we are going to extend our blue belt around the

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coastline of this country -- marine conservation. The oceans conference

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in June, and he points out there is a general election, but nevertheless

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I can assure you that the interests of the United Kingdom in providing

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leadership will be well undertaken. While the great appeal bill may

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bring short-term stability and a working institute book, it remains

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to be seen if this government or indeed future governmenting will

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take reaction to erode the environmental policies as they exist

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now. What assurance are there to my constituents who are deep concerns

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over environmental protections post Brexit? I can assure the House and

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the honourable lady's constituents, that the Government has been clear

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on the manifesto from 2015, to leave the environment in a better state

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than we found it, and that is what this Government will continue to do.

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The minister announced on the 24th of November, 2015, the UK Government

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would ban INAUDIBLE

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Imports by 2017. What improvements have been made on this? I didn't

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quite catch the opening of the question when referring to something

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from 2015. But I wish to assure that the imports are taken on a case by

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case basis and we continue to work with other countries to conserve

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important species around the world. The UK is a global leader. We will

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continue to influence other countries on this.

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With your permission, I will group question four and question seven.

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The consultation closed on the 28th of February and it is our intention

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to introduce legislation with a ban on manufacturing from the 1st of

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January 2018, and a ban on sales from June 2018 as outlined in the

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proposals. I support the plans to ban

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microbeads in cosmetics and personal care products but that probably

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accounts for the 4% of the microplastics polluting our rivers

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and oceans, what is the Government doing to tackle the other types of

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microplastics that we would like to stop polluting our rivers and

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oceans? There was evidence gathered on the extent of the environmental

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impact on plastics and we are reviewing that and new #e6d will be

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used to reform in the future. There is looking at the strategy of

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plastic bottles and on the go consumption that we are looking at.

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We must be careful taking this forward as microbeads and plastics

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are the outcomes of recycling bottles, into making fleeces and so.

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I was recently rummaging through my wife's collection of sham pews and

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to my horror found a plastic container of owlaway anti-wrinkle

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and -- Olay, complete with microbeads. Neither the Secretary of

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State or her minister will have the need for the product but will she

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get on the telephone to Proctor and Gamble, to say that selling this

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product is outrageous and it should be withdrawn at once! Well, Mr

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Speaker, what I found extraordinary is that lady Bellingham is a

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flawless picture and even needs the products. I'm sure that my

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honourable friend will be buying flowers later today to make up for

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this. It is fair to say, Mr Speaker, we

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are working with the manufactures now and a lot of them are starting

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to remove the products. That is good news. We want to make sure that the

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avoidable pollution is taken out of our environment permanently.

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Mr Speaker, we readily meet EU counterparts at agriculture and

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fisheries council and environment council and food and drink issues

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are on the agenda and we meet to discuss a bilateral soon.

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The great and noble county of Lincolnshire is the bread basket of

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England and much of the food comes from our county.

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Glycophate, can the minister assure that its use could be reauthorised?

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As my honourable friend knows that the European Union is reviewing the

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use of Glyphocate, and those that have led that work are clear it is a

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safe product and the UK is backing a position in line with the science to

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continue to authors this product. -- authorise this product.

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On the 18th of June, 2015, on convergence uplift. 230 million

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Euros that should have flowed to Scottish farming and since then the

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minister has demonstrated an ability for procrastination that my children

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can only envy. But this is not children's homework. It is

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fundamental money that is important. It is a matter of trust. The

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minister wants us to believe we can trust him. Where is this money? How

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can Scottish farming trust the Government? The honourable gentleman

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and I have discussed this. He is aware that the review last year was

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delayed because of the referendum that changed the context

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dramatically. We are continuing to have discussions with Scottish

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industry, and yesterday I met NFUS to discuss future agriculture

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policy. What could be done to encourage the

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European Union to promote the processes of food stuffs in

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developing countries, thinking of olive oil and coffee, where the

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value added tends to be within the European Union? Where the UK and a

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number of other European countries have preferential trade agreements

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in place to support developmenting countries, to give them tariff free

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access to the European markets, this is an important development. And the

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issues raised are discussed at the EU agriculture council.

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An important part of food processing sector is the fishing industry. As

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part of those discussions with EU ministerial counterparts, what

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progress or what efforts will be made to ensure that there is no

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border in the Irish Sea which would permit fishermen to fish in both

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parts as they currently can? The honourable lady knows that there has

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been an issue with the long standing agreement between the UK and the

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Irish Republic. There had beenen an issue with the Irish courts. I

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discussed this a council of weeks ago with the Irish minister to talk

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about arrangements we may have after Brexit.

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Like my honourable friend and neighbour for Gainsborough I have

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the honour of representing the questions where the farmers feed the

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country. Will my honourable friend work to ensure that the farmers are

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not put at a disadvantage with their EU competitors when these exciting

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new trade deals are noeshted? -- negotiated? Well, she has a very

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important farming constituency. I know I myself worked in the farming

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industry for ten years. I am passionate about it. I have been

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going up and down the country meeting farmers, discussing

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concerns. We have a fantastic opportunity on leave leafing the

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European Union to design a new agriculture policy that is fit for

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purpose. Press reports this week suggest that

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the Danish government may press for restrictions on UK fish imports to

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the EU if the Danish fleet lose access to mostly Scottish fishing

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waters. That would have serious implications for the Scottish fish

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producers. What conversations has the minister had with the Danish

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counterpart this week and will he tell us what the solutions are that

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he is proposing? I have been in regular meetings with the EU

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counterparts. I believe that the Danish minister is planning a visit

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to the UK. I hope to meet him then. But you should not worry about the

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opening positions that people may take in a negotiation, it matters

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what the UK Government is willing to grant. The Scottish fishing industry

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does not want to be dragged quicking and screaming to the EU, they want

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to leave the EU, to leave the CFP, to take control of their waters.

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The fishing industry is forwent my constituency, can you update fishers

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there and around the UK about when and if the Government is to trigger

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their intention to withdraw from the London 1964 fisheries convention?

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There is a 1964 London fisheries convention with access arrangements

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for a number of countries. As we have made clear we are looking at

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this closely. As the Prime Minister said two weeks ago, we hope to say

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something on this shortly. Mr Speaker, since 2015, DEFRA has

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opened or improved terms for 160 agriculture commodities and we work

:20:45.:20:50.

with industries to prioritise and increase new market values.

:20:51.:21:00.

In my role as trade to Nigeria I invited the Nigerian Culture

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Minister to come to the UK. It is important to show the whole of the

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value chain in agriculture in which we do so well? I commend the work my

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friend does. Building relations with Nigeria, building the important

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trading links. He is right, Nigeria is an important market for fisheries

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products, such as mackerel. I'm delighted to hear he has invited him

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here to see the work we do through the supply chain and the technology

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we have to reduce waste in the supply chain.

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Does the minister recognise it is absolutely crucial that the need to

:21:36.:21:41.

the agriculture sector are placed at the heart of the Brexit

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negotiations? Is it not clear if the Government doesn't get t it's act

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together, a bad Brexit deal leaves the British farmers and food

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producers faces a double whammy on taxes on exports? Access to the UK

:21:59.:22:03.

market is important for the European countries as well. While we export

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about ?11 billion of food and drink to the European Union, we import

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some ?28 billion from the EU, so farming unions across the EU are

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telling their governments we must have a free trade agreement with the

:22:18.:22:21.

UK. How does the Government intend to

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deliver on the promises? The C LA is saying that Government should admit

:22:26.:22:31.

it cannot design a workable new agriculture policy in less than two

:22:32.:22:37.

years as DEFRA does not have the capacity so the fail you arure to

:22:38.:22:41.

reach the agreement could leave us unable to compete at home and

:22:42.:22:45.

abroad. So specifically, what guarantees can the minister provide

:22:46.:22:49.

today, to rural communities across the country, that farming subsidies

:22:50.:22:53.

and tariff free trade is guaranteed under a Tory Government? I would

:22:54.:23:02.

simply say that the honourable lady, we have tremendous accountsly

:23:03.:23:06.

talented officials in DEFRA and our agencies who have been working

:23:07.:23:10.

closely on the detail behind the design of the agriculture and the

:23:11.:23:13.

issues and the Prime Minister is clear to make an offer to the other

:23:14.:23:19.

European countries, that is a bold, ambitious and a comprehensive trade

:23:20.:23:23.

agreement. A market that the farmers in

:23:24.:23:30.

northern Lincolnshire are hoping to expand is on biofuel. They are

:23:31.:23:33.

concerned with the Government's commitment. Can the minister

:23:34.:23:37.

reassure that is a market for future expansion? We see a role for bio

:23:38.:23:45.

ethanol fuels but with Korean to ensure we don't lose good

:23:46.:23:51.

agriculture land to biofuels. The honourable gentleman, friend is

:23:52.:23:55.

aware this is an issue for the department of transplant. I invite

:23:56.:24:00.

him to race the issue with them in the next Parliament.

:24:01.:24:04.

My friend pointed out that the markets are not necessarily country

:24:05.:24:11.

based but product based. The UK has a tremendous base for lactose free

:24:12.:24:15.

milk. What can we do to encourage the UK producers to develop this

:24:16.:24:19.

product in the UK, manufactured in the UK?

:24:20.:24:23.

We have a very strong dairy industry in this country and there are lots

:24:24.:24:28.

of opportunities like that and we have established things like the

:24:29.:24:32.

food innovation networks and we have things such as the agri- tech fund

:24:33.:24:38.

and others to support innovative product development. Energy prices

:24:39.:24:49.

and exchange rates Abby Kane drivers of changes in agricultural commodity

:24:50.:24:56.

markets -- are the key drivers. There was a sharp spike in food

:24:57.:25:02.

prices in 2008 and food prices levelled off six years later and

:25:03.:25:05.

fell by 7% over the next two years and over the past year we have seen

:25:06.:25:12.

a modest increase of around 1.3%. I thank the minister for his response,

:25:13.:25:18.

but the facts are that the ONS are reporting a surge in food prices

:25:19.:25:23.

which is likely to rise. Children are returning to school hungry after

:25:24.:25:26.

the east of days and the elderly are admitted to hospital for

:25:27.:25:33.

malnourishment -- after the Easter holidays. Because they refuse to

:25:34.:25:38.

measure it, otherwise they would have to admit culpability. You are

:25:39.:25:44.

wrong. We have a long-standing living cost of food survey which is

:25:45.:25:50.

run for many years. And which includes a measure for household

:25:51.:25:53.

spending amongst the 20% poorest households and I can tell her that

:25:54.:25:57.

household spending in those households has remained steady at

:25:58.:26:06.

16% for at least a decade. On the matter further, Mr Marcus Fish.

:26:07.:26:13.

LAUGHTER Farmers are proud of the

:26:14.:26:15.

high-quality food they produce, no matter what it is, but what of the

:26:16.:26:21.

opportunities that the ministers see of us leaving the EU to make sure

:26:22.:26:30.

they get a fair price for that food? As you know, we have recently had a

:26:31.:26:35.

call for evidence and a review of the adjudicator and there has been

:26:36.:26:37.

representation which we should consider extending the remit of that

:26:38.:26:44.

further up the supply chain. But I do believe that the grocery code

:26:45.:26:47.

adjudicator has made a very good start in improving the relationship

:26:48.:26:54.

between producers and supermarkets. It is quite common in food

:26:55.:26:58.

processing plants for 70% of the employees to be EU migrants. Where

:26:59.:27:06.

are they start going to come from in the future? Is the minister

:27:07.:27:09.

committed to defending this sector in the negotiations to come from? I

:27:10.:27:19.

can reassure you that we have had regular meetings with food

:27:20.:27:22.

processors and just a couple of days ago I had a meeting with the new

:27:23.:27:27.

president of the food and drink Federation and this initiative was

:27:28.:27:33.

raised by them. Around 30% of employees in the food processing

:27:34.:27:37.

sector are from other countries in the EU, but the Prime Minister has

:27:38.:27:40.

been very clear that she would like to safeguard and protect the rights

:27:41.:27:45.

of EU citizens that are here and she will expect that to be reciprocated

:27:46.:27:48.

and that can be agreed early in the negotiations will stop may I remind

:27:49.:27:55.

him again at the paradox that we staff the poor by refusing to buy

:27:56.:28:03.

their food from them -- staff. You make a very good point. As I said

:28:04.:28:09.

earlier, we do give preferential trade access to some developing

:28:10.:28:17.

countries, the ACP countries especially important in areas like

:28:18.:28:20.

sugar and this is important for them to develop those industries. My

:28:21.:28:29.

friend is right to raise this issue and I share her concerns about this.

:28:30.:28:34.

She will recognise that we want to get these proposals right as soon as

:28:35.:28:42.

we can. With the ministry agree that rigorous enforcement when this

:28:43.:28:45.

policy is in place is one of the most vital elements? -- would be. I

:28:46.:28:52.

entirely agree, robust enforcement is very important, and chivalrous

:28:53.:28:57.

denies that the police do a great job of enforcing the current rules

:28:58.:29:03.

-- and she will agree that the police. We need a strategic approach

:29:04.:29:08.

to tackling this trade and that is about the enforcement and tackling

:29:09.:29:13.

demand so that together we can help solve the poaching crisis. Question

:29:14.:29:24.

11. I very much enjoyed my visit to her constituency last week and it

:29:25.:29:27.

was a great pleasure to meet with some of her growers including

:29:28.:29:32.

Aberdeen farm to discuss seasonal Labour and I'm very aware of their

:29:33.:29:35.

concerns about the Labour supply issues. The government plans to

:29:36.:29:40.

commission advice from the committee and to consult with businesses later

:29:41.:29:45.

this year. They this we had a very agreeable excursion. -- they

:29:46.:29:52.

obviously. Can I thank my friend for coming to Kent and visiting one of

:29:53.:29:58.

my local fruit farms. And for listening to the growers who

:29:59.:30:01.

assembled there. Especially as it was in the Easter recess. Could she

:30:02.:30:08.

give me an update on the discussions she has had with the Home Office on

:30:09.:30:11.

introducing the much-needed seasonal agricultural permit scheme? Not only

:30:12.:30:18.

did I visit your constituency but also her neighbour in Maidstone, had

:30:19.:30:24.

a lovely day, in the county I grew up in, but she is right. A very

:30:25.:30:30.

important issue and the government has assessed the need for a pilot

:30:31.:30:35.

scheme, seasonal worker scheme, and they have said there is not the

:30:36.:30:38.

evidence that there is such a thing needed. The migration advisory

:30:39.:30:44.

committee and a consultation with businesses later this year will seek

:30:45.:30:47.

to get to the bottom of exactly what we need is and this government is

:30:48.:30:52.

committed to making a huge success for the food and farming sector as

:30:53.:31:01.

we leave the EU. Topical questions. As this is the last one before

:31:02.:31:12.

the... And secondly for us to be the first

:31:13.:31:19.

generation to leave the environment in a better state than we left it.

:31:20.:31:27.

-- found it. We publish the first litter strategy for England and we

:31:28.:31:33.

announced a ?10 grant scheme to restore the iconic peatlands. What

:31:34.:31:41.

is she doing to support the fishermen and the under ten metre

:31:42.:31:44.

fleet which is 33 feet in English money? I'm glad he can still do the

:31:45.:31:52.

sums. We have taken a number of measures to make sure the fleet is

:31:53.:31:55.

more economically sustainable and for example we have taken our used

:31:56.:31:59.

quota from the over ten metre vessels and transferred this to the

:32:00.:32:05.

under ten metre representing a 14% uplift to the under ten metre fleet

:32:06.:32:08.

so we continue to top slice the quota uplift which is now more than

:32:09.:32:13.

a thousand times in order to help the under ten metre fleet. Contrary

:32:14.:32:20.

to what the minister said earlier, recent inflation figures reveal that

:32:21.:32:23.

food prices are rising at the fastest race in three years, at over

:32:24.:32:31.

?21 which has been added to the average shopping bill in the last

:32:32.:32:34.

three months alone. When will the Secretary of State get a grip on the

:32:35.:32:41.

soaring cost of living? As I pointed out earlier to the question that was

:32:42.:32:48.

raised, we saw the biggest spike in food prices in 2008 because of

:32:49.:32:55.

energy prices and food prices fell after that, and now we have had a

:32:56.:32:59.

modest increase in the last 12 months of 1.3%. Rising food prices

:33:00.:33:07.

simply adds to the burden on those with little money for food. As the

:33:08.:33:12.

Food Standards Agency has reported that one in the four low income

:33:13.:33:19.

families struggle to eat regularly and the equality commission says

:33:20.:33:22.

disabled people are over two times more likely to be living in food

:33:23.:33:28.

poverty. How much longer can the Secretary of State refused to

:33:29.:33:31.

monitor and publish figures on UK food insecurity and food bag usage?

:33:32.:33:40.

-- bank. We have always monitored spending on food through the living

:33:41.:33:44.

cost of food survey and the spending on food amongst the poorest 20% has

:33:45.:33:48.

been stable at 16% for over a decade. But I would say this, this

:33:49.:33:53.

government has put more people in employment than ever before and has

:33:54.:33:56.

taken more people off benefits and giving them an income and that is

:33:57.:34:00.

the way you tackle poverty. -- given. It is not just the coastal

:34:01.:34:06.

areas of Lincolnshire which are prone to flooding and whilst the

:34:07.:34:11.

government has invested record amounts it is also England areas

:34:12.:34:14.

which are prone to flooding in places like Lincolnshire. -- inland

:34:15.:34:22.

areas. What more can be done to help protect people and properties? You

:34:23.:34:27.

are right to raise the importance of natural flood management. As I saw

:34:28.:34:31.

myself on a recent visit to Leicester where I launched ?1

:34:32.:34:34.

million competition for natural flood protection, in the back place

:34:35.:34:38.

it can absolutely help alongside more traditional measures. -- the

:34:39.:34:45.

right place. We are investing a total of ?15 billion to fund

:34:46.:34:47.

management schemes across the country and they will help support

:34:48.:34:52.

many communities from flood risk stash ?15 million. Surely the

:34:53.:34:59.

Secretary of State will have the good sense in speaking up for free

:35:00.:35:02.

movement of workers is the easiest way to avoid horrendous shortages in

:35:03.:35:10.

the food and drink industry. We have already addressed the issue of

:35:11.:35:14.

seasonal workers in the agricultural sector and is important we assess

:35:15.:35:19.

the needs. As far as those workers who have all the made their lives

:35:20.:35:22.

and work in this country, as the Prime Minister has said, it is her

:35:23.:35:27.

intention to make sure that those rights are protected provided that

:35:28.:35:31.

the EU reciprocates. It is right to look after British workers who have

:35:32.:35:35.

moved to the European Union at the same time as protecting the very

:35:36.:35:38.

valuable contribution that EU citizens make in the UK. In the

:35:39.:35:45.

interests of customer choice and transparency, isn't it time that all

:35:46.:35:50.

have our and kosher meat products where properly labelled at the point

:35:51.:35:55.

of sale? This would benefit those people who want to buy as well as

:35:56.:35:58.

those who particularly don't want to buy it. You have been a

:35:59.:36:05.

long-standing campaigner on this and we have discussed it on numerous

:36:06.:36:09.

occasions. The government is committed to giving consumers as

:36:10.:36:13.

much transparency as possible and to improving labelling where we can,

:36:14.:36:16.

and I know he understands there are difficulties in that business single

:36:17.:36:23.

definition of kosher and that makes compulsory labelling complex, and he

:36:24.:36:26.

is aware that the European Union has been looking at this, and when we

:36:27.:36:30.

leave, this will be an opportunity for us to look at all of these

:36:31.:36:36.

issues. The 25 year food and farming plan, the 25 year environment plan,

:36:37.:36:44.

these are supposedly to be promised but the summer, but that was some

:36:45.:36:49.

2016, and the Secretary of State has filed for the environment and

:36:50.:36:51.

farmers and the food industry and failed to keep her promise. People

:36:52.:36:56.

are losing their jobs and incomes on her watch, when will these plans see

:36:57.:37:04.

the light of day? You might be aware that there was a very significant

:37:05.:37:07.

decision taken by the people of the United Kingdom last summer to leave

:37:08.:37:11.

the European Union. We have been very clear about our ambition is to

:37:12.:37:16.

make a success of the sector and to be the version narration that leaves

:37:17.:37:23.

in a better place -- and to be the first generation that leaves the

:37:24.:37:27.

environment in a better place than we found it. Evidence to give us a

:37:28.:37:34.

very clear idea, to give a future outside of the EU that is more

:37:35.:37:43.

successful than ever. Further to the question, would the minister please

:37:44.:37:46.

give my constituents the reassurance they need that should the European

:37:47.:37:52.

Commission choose not to follow the recommendation and decide to ban the

:37:53.:37:59.

use of bison -- the use of... Remains possible. A response to the

:38:00.:38:05.

earlier question, the evidence is fairly clear, they believe it is

:38:06.:38:10.

safe and it has always been the UK position to follow the science and

:38:11.:38:13.

the evidence on pesticide decisions and that is why we support the

:38:14.:38:18.

reauthorisation of this and we will continue to have an evidence -based

:38:19.:38:24.

approach when we leave the EU.

:38:25.:38:27.

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