Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Questions House of Commons

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

secretary, Michael Gove, and his

team of ministers.

Order. Questions to the Secretary of

State for the Environment, Food and

Rural Affairs, Mr David Davis.

Fly-tipping and farmland is a

serious anti-social crime which

damages the environment, health and

farm businesses. Tackling it is a

priority. So far we have

strengthened the Environment Agency

and local authorities' ability to

seize vehicles of suspected

fly-tipper is, we have also given

them the authority to give penalty

charges. This is a devolved issue,

so he will be working with natural

resources Wales.

Is she aware of the

excellent campaign by farmers weekly

to bring in much tougher penalties

across the UK for the criminal gangs

responsible for fly-tipping on farms

in Britain?

And Mr Coffey is a bit coughy today.

We're looking at ways the

Environment Agency can continue to

work with the police, and also

create new powers for the industry

entirely.

Fly-tipping is a curse on

farmland in Huddersfield, but also

abandoning the country, usually

associated with people who are just

above the law, hiring skips then

taking the money, invading landfill

duty, -- even aiding the landfill

duty and tipping it everywhere. We

must have an Environment Agency with

the power to do something about it.

He is absolutely right, and we do

work closely with the police in

making this a focus for the

Environment Agency. I would also

like to draw two attention of the

House that we are doing more to help

councils tackling litter more

widely. We arrange yesterday plans

for doubling fines and making it

easier to tackle motorists. We are

working with councils to make

progress on this.

I support my

honourable friend from Monmouth, the

trouble is at the moment that fines

are not heavy enough and it is

easier to tip on farmland than to go

to waste disposal site. Unless we

get some teeth and really heavy

fines, we will not change this.

I

recognise what he says. It is key

that we continue to do more to work

with farmers on a local level to

make sure there are better barriers.

But it is about targeting and

getting intelligence, and following

up those people who are dumping, and

then use the full force of the law

in future.

You have outlined the

importance of the issue but also the

role for the local councils. Can the

Minister indicate what incentives

the local councils will make

available to homeowners that

encourages people to use waste

recycling centres rather than

dumping on farmland?

This is a

devolved matter in Northern Ireland,

but we issued new guidance to try to

clarify what council should or

should not be charging for when

people want to use the recycling

centre. I know that councils want to

do the right thing. £8 million a

year is spent on tackling

fly-tipping, so we want to make

improvements.

The Warwickshire NFU

convened a Round Table on this last

month after a terrible spate of

fly-tipping. One, could we have more

briefing by magistrates, so that

finds are proportionate to the

crime, and extend fixed penalty

notices to the statutory duty of

care for disposal of wastes on

households?

We are looking carefully

at the second issue that she raises

particularly, but I will take this

away and speak to my honourable

friend, one of the justice

ministers, to suggest about

potential sentencing guidance.

Zero

waste Scotland suggests it will save

councils £30 million a year

regarding kerb-side recycling and

tipping. Has there been any attempt

to assess the savings in England?

We

have looked at the ward and return

schemes for things like plastic

bottles. An independent committee is

looking at. The Scottish Government

has asked DEFRA to report on this.

We're looking at this carefully but

trying to extrapolate economic

benefits on the basis of a handful

of councils is not a straightforward

exercise.

We are consulting on

proposals to introduce a total ban

on UK ivory sales, and we hope that

will contribute to eliminating

elephant poaching. We will consult

on certain targeted exemptions.

The

declining elephant population shames

this generation, so can I welcome

the action to address this issue.

Can I ask, how quickly can

recommendations be implemented so we

can ensure we are doing everything

possible to protect this magnificent

species?

The consultation closes on

the 29th of December, and I am

grateful to him for highlighting the

importance of making sure as many

people as possible contribute to the

consultation so we can move to

legislation as quickly as possible.

Thanks to the Secretary of State for

the answer. Can he gathers an

undertaking that he will come to the

House as soon as possible after the

consultation and lay out a timetable

for a proper implementation.

He

makes a very fair request, and I

will do that.

Along with students,

and residents in my constituency,

welcome the government's commitment

to a ban on ivory sales. But how

will the government work with

friends abroad, especially Southeast

Asia, to ensure we bring an end to

poaching by illegal and gangs?

--

armed gangs? We have been working to

ensure awareness is heightened of

the link between the illegal ivory

trade and poaching. We will be

working with our counterparts to

close down the street.

Last week I

spoke to MPs who were unaware of a

report that said the elephant

population in Angola had fallen from

3000 two 2400. Isn't it the case

that the world is simply not doing

enough for animals? We have to do

more to save the planet, and the

African elephant is the start.

I

completely agree, we lose 20,000 of

these creatures every year, and it

is not good enough for the world to

wash its hands and say that this is

our responsibility of developing

nations. We have two act globally to

ensure the threat to this animal is

properly met.

As he examines the

answers to his welcome consultation

on this, will he give scant

disregard to some of the scare

stories being put about by certain

parts of the antiques industry

saying that old and much valued

artefacts will be destroyed under

his proposals? That is not the

intention and the intention is much

more important, it is about a

species at risk of extinction.

He is

right, his campaigning in this area

has been inspirational and he is

also right to call out one or two

voices, isolated voices, who have

attempted to generate scare stories.

Significant organisations across the

antiques and art markets have

welcomed this, and I am grateful to

the approach they are taking.

Would

he take it as representation from me

that the 1947 cut-off date is too

late, in my view, and he would look

that should look carefully in

banning the sale of antiques as well

because it will potentially lead to

the import of ivory which purports

to be new ivory, which are antiques?

He is right, in the consultation

theories no reference to that date,

which had been mooted at one stage.

Our idea is that it is easier for

the enforcement to have the total

ban because there are unscrupulous

individuals that will attempt to

claim that artefacts are antiques,

when they are none of the kind.

Beer

is the UK's third largest food and

drink export the value of £600

million last year. Last week I

visited the Griffin Brewery run by

Fuller Smith and Turner, to launch a

new British beer strategy with the

Pub Association. It is one of the

examples of successes with exports.

We have regular discussions with the

Treasury on the contribution to the

beer industry to local communities.

He will be pleased to know we have

had initial success with promoting

and exporting Shropshire beer to

Poland. But more needs to be done

over the small brewer release scheme

to help breweries like the one in my

constituency to unlock the potential

for exports. Will he continue to

press the Chancellor on this

project?

I am aware there are some

great success stories in the

constituency and Shropshire, but I

did discuss the small brewer relief

scheme with the beer, pub and

Brewers Association last week. Many

microbreweries feel restrained and

are asking for some changes to that.

This is a policy lead for the

Treasury, but we have ensured that

their representations have been

highlighted with the Chancellor.

Does my honourable friend agree it

is vital that post Brexit we look to

open up new markets and create new

jobs that such obstacles are

removed.

I very much agree with my

honourable friend and indeed I

attended an event we hosted in our

embassy in Japan just last year to

promote a range of British drinks,

including British beers. The

industry aims to increase its

exports by around £100 million over

the next few years and there's some

great success stories we should

champion.

I've had positive discussions with

the Secretary of State for Justice

and the Lord Chancellor, prior to my

announcement that the Government

plans to increase the maximum

penalty for animal cruelty from six

months to five years imprisonment.

Two-thirds of the British public

would like to see that sentence

increased. The average sentence

being 3.3 months. Could the

Secretary of State give assurances

that the courts have indicated a

desire for those increased

sentencing powers, such that they

will get used once they are in

place?

Absolutely. Can I thank my

honourable friend. He has a

distinguished legal career for

bringing cases against those who

have taken out animal cruelty. There

are exceptional cases of genuine

sadism with a penalty higher than

that of the maximum six months is

required.

Mr Speaker, many of my constituents

have writ on the me, urging the

Government to increase the sentence

foranimal cruelty. Can the minister

clarify if the Government will look

to give more powers for the RSPCA to

investigate more matters of animal

cruelty?

We are all grateful for the

work the RSPCA does do, but we have

November plans for such at the

moment.

I welcome this proposal,

having sponsored a debate in

Westminster Hall last parliamentary

term in this inshoe, particularly

dog -- in this issue, particularly

dogfighting. I welcome the proposal.

Last week it was raised that

policing and funding of policing of

these types of crimes needs the to

be increased. What is the minister

planning to do in that regard

Of

course sentencing decisions and

policing matters are devolved. One

of the things that we do at DEFRA is

work very closely with the Home

Office to ensure examples of animal

cruelty which do need to focus the

minds of police forces on more

effective investigation are at the

heart of our conversations.

My

constituents in Kettering would

welcome increased sentences for

animal cruelty S the Secretary of

State able to draw on any

international experience about how

best we might prosecute cases?

It is

the case that in Northern Ireland

and indeed in the Irish Republic

they have similar sentences. It is

also the case in other Commonwealth

jurisdictions, including Australia,

Canada and New Zealand similar

sentences apply. It is a sign of our

can passty from learning from other

nations from within and outside the

European Union what a progressive

approach towards animal welfare

might be.

Question number five.

Mr Speaker, we do not carry out

postmortem examations on every

badger. We know that the prevalence

rate of the disease in badgers in

the high-risk area is typically

around 30%. We do want to monitor

trends as the cull is implemented.

So a small sample of badgers is

being tested this year to explore

different testing protocols which

could be deployed to track the pref

rens of badgers culled in future

years.

I thank the minister, but for

to that, can he tell us what has

provided the scientific basis for

the wider roll out of the cull?

The

basis for the roll out was the RBCT

trails carried out under the last

Labour Government, which showed

there would be a reduction in the

disease through a badger cull.

Indeed research earlier this summer

by crystal Donnolly has confirmed a

reduction of 58% of the disease in

cattle in Gloucester and 21% in

Somerset, which is within the range

we would expect based on the trials.

THE SPEAKER: I hope the House will

want to join me in congratulating

the honourable gentlemen, in the

voyeurs he was out of the house,

acquired a dock ter rate in rural

economy.

I think I can dine out on that for a

few more days. I hear what the

minister says. It is estimated in

the roll-out that something between

20,000-33,000 badgers were caught

and dispatched no now that the culls

are coming to an end. Is he

seriously telling me we are not

going to test a significant

proportion of those badgers so we at

least have some scientific of Kaysy

is know there is some sense in what

the Government is trying to do. Even

those of us on this side totally

oppose it?

I think if the honourable

gentleman listened to my question he

would have heard I said precisely we

want to monitor trends in this

disease, that is why we are starting

to collect a sample of badgers and

testing them to develop these

protocols. There was a lot of

postmortem done during the trials.

From that we do know that the

typical prevalence rate of the

disease in the badger population in

the high risk're is 30%.

-- high risk area is 30%.

Mr Speaker, we are working with the

farming and agriculture secretary to

assess the impact of leaving the EU

on this industry. Following the

decision to close the seasonal

agricultural worker's seem, DEFRA

set up a working group which

bringing together industry and

Government to monitor seasonal

Labour labour. I met this job and

DEFRA are working the Home Office to

ensure workforce requirements are

considered in any future workforce

system.

In order to give farmers and

the industry confidence, can the

tell us when that promised review,

that he alludes to, will report, so

there's confidence in the system to

go forward?

Well, we meet regularly

with the transition group, as I

said. We work closely with Home

Office officials on this. The Home

Office established a review by the

Migration Advisory Committee. The

consultation, the call for evidence

closes this week, on the 27th

October. And we have been

encouraging all interested parties

over the last month to contribute to

that review which is already under

way.

There is a lot of discussion about

the farmling and agricultural

sector, as the minister will know it

is responsible for food and drinking

manufacturing and also a very large

employer. Will he assure me that

sector will not be overlooked?

I can give my honourable friend an

assurance that I meet regularly with

food processing and food

manufacturers and he's right there

are some sectors, notably fish

processing and meat processing which

has become very reliant on East

European labour, particularly over

the last ten years. We are ensuring

all the information provided by

those is fed back into the review

currently being undertaken by the

Home Office.

The minister will no

doubt be aware that farming

contributes £1.5 billion to the

Welsh economy. If no Brexit decision

is decided it will have a

significant impact on Welsh farming,

including in relation to workforce

shortages. Will the minister make a

statement of what he plans to do in

the event of a no deal scenario to

support the Welsh economy

The

assurance I can give the honourable

gentleman is the Government is

planning for all scenarios. We have

been clear we want a comprehensive

free trade agreement with our

European partners and we want a

closer inship put in place. If you

want to be serious around the

negotiating table you have to

prepare for everything and that is

why we are also preparing for a no

scenario.

New Zealand has a migrant worker for

many years now. Note New Zealand has

ex-planned this which would prevent

it being... When we see fines being

stopped from come from the

Philippines. The boats are tied up

and the economy costs

s I can tell

him we are looking at the system in

New Zealand which has similarities

with the scheme from 1945-2013 in

this country. The Home Office did

have some sector, other sector-based

schemes, but the conin 2013 is these

were not being used or utilised and

were unnecessary. There is a review,

led by the Home Office, with the MAC

looking at this now. That is the

right place to put this information.

Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.

Representatives from the NFU, NFU

Scotland, the farmer's union of

Wales and Ulster farmer's union.

The Secretary of State should be

aware the UK does not have a single

agricultural industry, we have

several. They need the farmers in my

constituent will be different from

those in the south-west of England.

All will have to be accommodated in

this framework. Will the minister,

therefore, continue to engage, not

just with the farmer's union of

Scotland but the Scottish crofters

federation, because they are the

experts.

I quite agree. I have had

the opportunity to hear from

representatives of the crofting

sector. I intend to visit every part

of the UK and work with the to

ensure we can preserve the internal

market within the UK. Have the best

trade deals, but are sensitive to

the specific needs, for example of

Orkney's very, very fine beef

farmerers.

Many farms and rural

communities straddle the border with

England. Can my height honourable

friend confirm the voices will not

be ignored around Brexit and

devolution?

Their voices are not

ignored, they have such an

articulate representative in my

Right Honourable friend whose

dramatically increased the majority

at the last general election is

testimony to all his hard work on

behalf of all his constituents.

Can

I press the Secretary of State

though to confirm if the Government

have undertaken an assessment of the

impact of Brexit on the food and

drink manufacturing sector and

explain how they consulted with

businesses as part of that process?

Not only have I spoken to the

farming representatives that I

alluded to earlier. It is also the

case I've had regular conversations

with the food and drink regulation

and others. The gentleman will be

aware that, the honourable

gentleman, forgive me, that food and

drin sk the UK's biggest

manufacturing sector and we see huge

opportunities outside the European

Union to export more and to make the

most of British produce. We have so

lucky that British food and drink is

the best in the world.

Mr Speaker,

the most recent scientific evidence

shows a link between a decline in

our poll lonators, and honourable

friend has had so many successes on

ivory, onslaughter houses, CCTV, on

mandatory sentencing for cruelty,

will he ensure the science we know

is imply meanted and we introduce a

permanent ban on the three niconoids

on the market today.

It is vital we

do everything to ensure our insect

population is protected in the

future, they are vital to the health

of our environment and we are

looking closely at the science in

this matter.

Number eight, please, Mr Speaker.

Thank you very much.

I made it a priority to engage the

Scottish Government as early as

possible and spoke to the Cabinet

Secretary. We met up for talks at

the Royal Highland Show. I met with

others of devolved and we are due to

meet again early in November.

Since 2013, this Government has

short changed form farmers of £165

million of money. Will he commit to

our gently change how those funds

are distributed. Not after 2020, but

imminently?

I am grateful to the

honourable gentleman for raising it.

I received a very constructive

letter from the member for Dumfries

and Galloway with a suggestion of

how to take things forward. Having

13 Scottish members here is a way to

ensure the interests of Scotland's

farming and fishery sectors are

better represented than ever before

in this House.

Thank you, Mr

Speaker. Whilst my Right Honourable

friend is considering Scotland, can

I remind him many Scottish farmers

are concerned about the reduction of

lynx. Can he assure me my

constituents will be consulted

before this moves forward.

Can I thank the honourable gentleman

for raising this issue. I had the

opportunity of visiting his

constituency in a private capacity

in August, in order to fish on the

Tweed. I had an opportunity while

there to hear from his constituents

about what a fantastic job but their

concerns about the reintroduction of

the lynx. Before any progress of a

reintroduction takes place...

THE SPEAKER: We hope he caught

something. It should be further

deposited in the library before

long.

Leaving the European Union is a

great opportunity to design a new

agriculture policy fit for purpose

in the 21st century. As we develop

plans for a new agriculture Bill,

we're considering how best to deploy

the committee to agriculture and

farmed environment. Will be a focus

on delivering environmental outcomes

and improving soil. It will also

address risk management.

What

consideration has he given to

potential changes in taxes to

encourage more investment in

machinery and technology post

Brexit?

As part of our work on

innovation and investment on farms,

we're looking at the issue of grants

to support investment in farms. You

will appreciate taxes is a matter

for Treasury ministers but there is

an annual investment allowing us to

support investment in farm

machinery, and many farmers make use

of these.

The Minister will know

that the uplands is part of the most

important -- has most of the most

important environmental benefits in

the country, but the farmers have

extremely marginal incomes. Will he

therefore commit today to no cuts in

support for health farmers in the

uplands? -- three farmers.

She is

right that some farmers are more

financially vulnerable, which is

something we're taking into account.

We have been very clear that any

change we implement would have a

transition period to ensure people

can adjust. As the Prime Minister

made clear on the 11th of October,

when we leave the European Union, we

believe the Common fisheries policy,

and we leave the EU in March 2019.

As honourable members will be aware,

the EU Withdrawal Bill will bring

across current EU legislation to

provide continuity on the day we

leave, and in the context of

fisheries this will include the body

of technical conservation

regulations set by the EU.

That is

interesting, we will not have a

voice at the table but we will have

to abide by the common fisheries

rules. Can he give an assurance to

our industry who export more than

80% of what they catch to the rest

of Europe that they will not face

tariffs are barriers during the

transition period or after?

He will

know that we are seeking that

comprehensive free trade agreement,

and in that transition period trade

would continue, so he is wrong to

say we would not have a seat at the

table, he knows these are annual

events, whether we are negotiating

EU member states at the moment, or

indeed with EU Norway or the coastal

states meetings, and we will become

an independent coastal state on the

day we leave the European Union.

I

welcome the commitment to listen to

the views of the food sector and

ensure it has a strong voice in the

EU exit negotiations. Does he agree

that the fishermen and those of

other nation should not be

sacrificed during the negotiations?

I agree, and many Scottish

Conservative MPs have worked closely

with Scottish industry on this. The

fishing industry is important in

Scotland, roughly half of the

industry is located there. Sectors

which target mackerel is of

incredible economic importance, and

I can assure him I regularly meet

representatives in Scotland.

Can I

send my sincere condolences to the

family of the captain of the

Solstice, who has died since the

last DEFRA questions. The Solstice

is the third fishing vessel to think

involving loss of life where there

has been a delay in launching

lifeboats. Can he assure the fishing

industry that he is working with

colleagues to secure an

investigation into this to reassure

the industry that the Coast Guard is

able to respond quickly.

Can I also

offer sincere condolences to the

family of the crew member who sadly

lost his life with the loss of the

Solstice in the West Country. This

is an issue covered by the

Department for Transport but I have

had the opportunity to discuss the

matter with my colleague the

shipping minister, and I know that

the Marine accident investigation

unit will be carrying out an

investigation into this in the

normal way. Additionally, noting the

points she has raised, he she has

asked the investigation unit to

consider whether

we have... Or whether we have to

look further into this.

Analysis is

hugely important for my department,

so I was pleased when Professor Ian

Boyd agreed to stay on for another

year. We are grateful to have him.

Is it appropriate for the two

sisters group to undertake any

mergers and acquisitions while the

Food Standards Agency is conducting

its investigations and has reported

in full, not least in case any

corporate governments are covered

during the investigation.

The Food

Standards Agency is responsible for

these investigations, but these are

deeply concerning allegations, and

the House will want to make sure

food safety standards are observed.

The flood barrier is the biggest

investment in the town promised and

delivered by a Conservative

government. The Minister has had a

public enquiries report. Can she

update the House on when we are

likely to start building the Boston

flood barrier?

This significant

barrier will provide a reduction in

the risk of flooding for almost

15,000 homes and thousands of

businesses. The failings of the

report are being considered with

lawyers. This must be completed

before I can make any final decision

on granting the order. Meanwhile I

can assure him the Environment

Agency is making necessary

arrangements to start as soon as

possible, subject to the secure

funding from the Treasury.

In the referendum last year, people

didn't vote for dangerous levels of

pollution and the weakening of

environmental protections. It is all

very well that the Secretary of

State has been making worthy

speeches about a green Brexit, but

as it stands the government's repeal

bill makes this an impossibility.

Will the Secretary of State make a

possibility of this polluter pays

principle are an fundamental flaw,

and ensure protections for the

environment as we leave the EU?

It

is right to draw attention to the

fact that while there have

undoubtedly been aspects of the

common fisheries policy that had

been harmful, there have been

welcome environmental protections we

have helped develop while in the EU,

and I do want to work with as I am

working with others, to ensure

people can guarantee the protections

we value stay in place.

Clearly many

of our environmental protections

come from Europe, and another victim

of the repeal Bill I would like to

draw his attention to is the mission

of the principle which sets a

benchmark to protect the environment

from policy proposals which would do

harm. Is his commitment to me now

they are for a commitment to working

cross party to ensure these vital

environmental protections are

transferred into EU law as promised,

or is he happy for the EU to reclaim

its former reputation as the dirty

man of Europe?

I think she had a

slip of the tongue, she was probably

worried about the UK being the dirty

man or dirty creature of Europe! In

short, the principles to which she

alludes are invaluable principles,

and we need to make sure they are

applicable to law, but yes I would

like to work with her.

The

government is committed to planting

11 million trees, can I ask that

many of them are planted in my

constituency, and see that he is

welcome to visit Chipping Barnet to

see these wonderful trees?

We do

want to plant more trees, we are

trying different ways to accelerate

the planting of trees, and she will

be aware of our commitment to plant

a million urban trees, and I am

hopeful many of these will be in her

constituency.

Like many MPs, the

Secretary of State and I supported

the general election pledges to

support beer and Pub is. Is he

putting pressure on the Chancellor

to freeze beer duty at the

forthcoming budget?

Conversations

between myself and the Chancellor

are fruitful, and they are fruitful

because the are intermittent, and I

cannot say any more! -- they are

intermittent.

When will all food

packaging be recyclable?

Policies

and regulations are designed to

increase recycling and reduce the

amount of packaging ending up in the

natural environment. Almost all

packaging is technically recyclable,

but some waste management companies

choose not to collect it, but next

year we will publish a new resources

and we strategy on which I hope to

set out more.

How much of the waste

produced by the Secretary of State's

department is recycled?

I may need

to refer the honourable lady to

Hansard, and I will write to her,

but we have regenerated food waste,

which goes to anaerobic digestion.

Does she agree that the powers --

everywhere should feel the benefit

is powers are deeply -- repatriated

to the UK. Can we have a discussion

about further you apartments in

Scotland?

I would be delighted to

visit his attractive and well

represented constituency.

Do we

expect progress in sorting out

abandoned waste sites owned by the

Crown estate, such as the one at

Sandy Lane in my constituency?

I met

the honourable member to discuss

this. We have been engaging with the

Treasury about the site because I

know the areas an issue he wishes to

be progressed. The Treasury has

oversight of the Crown state and tax

system, and will consider the

business case. The Environment

Agency will continue to work with

local councils to remove the

dangerous waste that was there.

How

many houses in the country do not

and we have CCTV installed?

Around

-- how many slaughterhouse is? We're

bringing fraud legislation to make

sure they all have CCTV to stop

these practices.

The worst

government is responsible for the

distribution of funding. Could the

Minister confirm whether they will

retain this responsibility after

Brexit, and that funding received is

not based on simple headcount?

We

are working with all devolved

administrations and territorial

offices to design a future policy.

We want to ensure that all of the

devolved administrations retain the

ability to put in place the type of

policy that are right for them.

Did

the Secretary of State dancer, what

is the future of the use of

glyphosate?

We support that has --

the work that has be done, and their

conclusions that glyphosate is safe,

and we have ordered the use, we

always take an evidence -based

approach.

In York, they say that the

new exam framework does not work,

because they say that when you

assess felling trees, you cannot

bring in the harvest in the spring,

so could he make a statement to the

Education Secretary to broaden the

scope of when assessments can take

place?

That is a very important

point, and I will talk to the

Education Secretary abated.

The

fishing community and my Cleethorpes

constituency and Grimsby are looking

forward to Brexit in March 2019.

Could the Minister outline what

support his department will give to

the industry to expand their trade

with other departments as a result

of opportunities opened? We have a

great opportunity to look afresh at

access arrangements and at the total

catch. We are working the fishing

industry to develop that. I can tell

my honourable friend that I met some

of the leading fish processors this

week.