Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Questions House of Commons

Easter. We will keep you updated on

that.

Order, order. Questions to the

Secretary of State for environment,

food and growth areas. --

environment, food and rural affairs.

Mr Speaker, as you're aware, my

right honourable friend the

Secretary of State is in US for

departmental business representing

UK interests. I know he has written

to you regarding to this antique

centres apologies to the house. Mr

Speaker, last week, the Government

launched a paper outlining a series

of proposals to help invest in funds

and help them become more

profitable, create new entrants into

the agriculture industry and

encourage research and development.

-- invested forms. -- invested in

farms.

What I want to say to the

ministers are very much welcome the

paper and it talks about having a

greener environment and a better

environment for the future. But will

he also agree with me that part of

the agricultural paper must have the

means of production and good quality

production and being able to

actually increase our food that we

can grow in this country rather than

decrease it as we go forward with

the new British agricultural policy?

I agree with the point of my

honourable friend raises. He and I

both have a background in the

farming industry, we recognise the

importance of this strategically

vital industry for a country. He

will know we have a manifesto

commitment to grow our agricultural

industry and produce more food and

consultation outlines a number of

proposals including improving

productivity and improve research

and development.

When will a

decision be made on the

reintroduction of the seasonal

workers scheme so that crops don't

rot in the ground this summer?

The

honourable gentleman will be aware

that this is an issue on which the

Home Office lead. We do have regular

discussions with Home Office

colleagues on these matters and we

do feeding. The feedback we're

getting from this industry on this

matter. I made clear we are looking

closely at the area of the seasonal

agricultural workers scheme after we

leave the European Union.

Most of

the food produced in my constituency

is reliant on supplies of fish. Can

we have an assurance that the fish

and history will not be sold out in

these negotiations as they were in

the 1970s? -- the fish industry.

We

have been clear that when we leave

the EU we leave the Common fisheries

policy, which means that under

international law, the conventional

law of the sea, we would come an

independent coastal state and we

both managed fisheries resources in

our exclusive economic zone and

manage access to our own waters.

Chi

ask how to ensure that farm

subsidies after Brexit will remain

targeted at full production? -- can

I ask how to ensure?

We will

maintain the total spending we have

on agriculture and the farmed

environment until 2022 and we have

also been clear, and our paper

asserts itself, there will be a

transitional period as we move from

an incoherent system of area

payments that we have now to one

that is focused on the delivery of

public good. We recognise there will

need to be a gradual transition from

the old system to the new.

The

Common Agricultural Policy has been

a disaster for the British dairy

industry because it was designed in

interests of French farmers, not

British farmers. How can we put this

right after Brexit?

My honourable

friend makes an important point. The

Common Agricultural Policy has all

sorts of inconsistencies. Having a

one size fits all agricultural

policy for the whole EU makes no

sense, and taking back control of

these matters, we will have the

freedom to design and agricultural

policy that works for our own

farmers.

Can I say first how

relieved I am that the member made

it here today to ask this important

question! But when the Secretary of

State looks at how best to support

food producers, he should be aware

that deaf's own figures show that

64% of farmers earn less than

£10,000 per year. -- Defra's own

figures. Recent figures also show

that farmers receive less than 10%

of the value of their produce sold

in supermarkets. Can they Secretary

of State or the minister today tell

me please what he's doing to tackle

this clearly inequitable and

unsustainable situation.

I think the

honourable lady makes an important

point, which is that if we want to

move to a position where farmers are

no longer dependent on subsidies, it

is important we support them to come

together collaboratively and

strengthen their position in the

supply chain to get a fairer price

for the food they produce. We

recently outlined a series of

proposals to have a statutory code

and airy and to have a statutory

approach to carcass classification

on sheep together with a range of

other options. -- a statutory code

on dairy.

I've had a regular

dialogue with ministers in the

Department for business, energy and

industrial strategy regarding the

role of the adjudicator and we

recently had a call for evidence on

this matter. In response to that, we

set out a range of measures to

improve fairness in the supply chain

and strengthen the position of

farmers and small producers.

I am

the page chair of the trustees of

the fair trade organisation

tradecraft. We are the had high

hopes for this to protect farmers

from cancellations of unpaid orders,

deduction of invoices. Minister

started I think 18 months ago, there

was the farming paper last month

promised fairness in the supply

chain, but hopes were dashed with

the announcement last month of no

change for the remit of the

adjudicator. Why are ministers

failing to take action?

I don't

accept that there was no change, as

I said a little earlier. We've

announced a package of measures

including a £10 million

collaboration funds to help farmers

and small producers come together, a

compulsory milk contract legislation

so that dairy farms are protected, a

compulsory sheep carcass

classification, commitments to

making supply chain data easy to

access, to improve transparency and

market integrity, and also a

commitment to review whether more

retailers should come under the

remit of the GTA.

I hear what the

minister says, but given the vast

majority of producers and consumers

are keen to strengthen the grocery

code adjudicator, why would you do

it? We are happy to help on this

site, if you just makes the move to

save he is prepared to strengthen

the code. -- why won't he do it?

We

found a lot of the evidence was in

particularly vulnerable sectors like

dairy and some of the other

livestock sectors who often end up

becoming prize takers because they

don't have sufficient strength to

deal with large processors. It is

less an issue of the supermarkets,

more an issue of those processors.

And we decided a better way to take

this forward is to introduce other

statutory codes that target the

problem rather than change the GCA.

With your permission, I wish to grip

the following questions, four, six

and 13. An independent working group

was set up as part of the strategy

for England to hold a call for

evidence on promoting recycling,

which received evidence on the

impact of deposit returns games.

I've recently received a report and

considering their recommendations.

We know that 15 million plastic

bottles at a panel of recycled in

this country. We also know a deposit

returns game can increase recycling.

Can I ask the Government, help their

going to introduce this scheme after

this report -- I hope they're going

to, but can ask if they will

introduce a scheme that will take

all containers of all sizes, not

just on the go from kiosks unbending

shoes?

Part of the evidence that was

submitted included that councils

offer combines of recycling --

suggested that councils offer

combines of recycling service at the

kerb-side. But I would say we need

stickers and this approach

carefully. There is an appetite to

have such duress but the skins we

are seen in other parts of Europe

are very different and we need one

that will work for this country. --

there is an appetite have such a DRS

but the schemes we have seen.

In

many places the streets and indeed

lives are inundated with a flood of

bottles, bags, food packets, crisp

packets, turning environment into a

dumping ground. Will the Minister

take action urgently and stopped

nine local authorities like

Newcastle City Council the powers

and resources to tackle the problem?

-- stop denying local authorities.

Franco, and this problem, the

Government is rubbish. -- frankly,

on this problem.

I think this

question was a complete waste of

space. But the honourable lady

refers to Paris, this Government has

given councils the power saving

asking for an order to tackle this.

So I think she's being rather

ungenerous in what progress is being

made. In terms of plastic, I would

say, plastic does have a role in

making sure we have safe packaging

but it has become negative, and that

is that we will consider carefully.

In my constituency, we have litter

picking groups, and we're seeing

loads of areas where plastic bottles

and glass bottles, bushy introduce a

deposit returns game for a plastic

and glass container so we can avoid

this plague plastic? -- plastic and

all other containers.

People who

tossed litter our litter louts. I

reach a phrase, don't be a toss,

because it does not help society to

drop litter anywhere. Let us get

real about how we need to tackle

that. I commend the work that Keep

Britain Tidy does in encouraging

litter collections. However, the

honourable lady is right we need to

sort out the issue in the first

place. This is why this day consider

very carefully as part of our

resources waste strategy.

On

International Women's Day, I would

like to be a bit more consensual and

asked the minister to put the

campaign by female colleagues to

give up plastics relent and the

Church of England's initiative on

practical suggestions for something

we can do on every one of the 40

days. I would like to ask the

minister she had given up something

plastic from land, and will she join

us in writing to manufacturers for

whom there is no alternative to

plastic to find a sustainable

solution?

Of course a Church Commissioner

would call upon God and the Church

of England to inspire us.

I am also one of the people who has

taken the pledge to try to give up

something plastic for Lent.

I pledged to carry a water bottle

around in my handbag - I am not

going to produce a prop,

Mr Speaker - and I have had

to sacrifice my Marmite

in the Tea Room because it is only

sold in plastic sachets.

We are all looking forward

to the proposals from Parliament,

because this does matter.

The campaigns on passing on plastic

and giving up plastic for Lent

are partly about behavioural

change among consumers.

I believe that companies

are starting to respond

and we are starting to see changes,

but the more consumers demand this,

the quicker action will happen

in the marketplace.

I assure the House that this

Government will take action.

A deposit return scheme is not just

about raising recycling rates;

it is also about educating

and raising awareness

among the public about

the need to be responsible.

In that vein, will the Minister

join me in praising the many towns

across Cornwall―Newquay,

Falmouth, Penzance, Bude,

and many others―that have

declared their aims to become

single-use plastic free?

Does she agree that Cornwall

is leading the way in raising

awareness of this issue?

As ever, my honourable friend

is passionate about this

cause; I know that he has

been championing it.

Of course I applaud those many towns

and communities in Cornwall

for wanting to do the right thing.

In Ashbourne over the past four

days, tens of thousands of plastic

bottles of water have been handed

out by Severn Trent

because of its failure

to reconnect the water supply.

At the moment, the compensation

level is £30 a day,

which is woefully inadequate.

Will she look at the specific case

surrounding Ashbourne?

As I announced to the House

the other day, I have asked Ofwat

to undertake a review.

I have also encouraged water

companies to improve

the compensation that they

could discretionally offer.

I expect that Severn Trent

is already responding

to the call from my friend.

It is the plastic particles we do

not see that should be the biggest

concern. A recent report found that

in one metre of melted Arctic sea

ice, there were hundreds of plastic

articles. This is why we should take

this urgently and it should be about

how we do it, not if, if she is

consulting on it.

This Government

has taken strong action on banning

Michael plastics -- banning Micro

plastics. One of the points he

refers to is this is a global matter

and that is why we work hard with

other nations, through different

forums, other agencies with the UN

and our Commonwealth companies that

we will be meeting with.

Mr Speaker,

our approach to future environment

policy was set out in our published

25 year environment plan. Our

approach was published in our

consultation last week and our

approach to trade negotiations was

outlined in a speech with the Prime

Minister last week. All of these

policies are being developed at the

same time.

I thank him for the

answer but does he agree there

should be a common framework for

environmental standards across the

whole of the United Kingdom after

Brexit?

Well, as the honourable lady

will be aware, through the EU

withdrawal well, we are putting

through all of the EU legislation as

it pertains to the environment. My

right honourable friend also

outlined plans for an environmental

body and we are in discussion with

the devolved administrations about

their involvement and the UK

framework in these matters.

Park keeper or food producer―

whatever the future for farming

is going to be, does my hon.

Friend agree that it

must be possible to earn

a living out of farming?

I very much agree

who has a lot of experience

in these matters

and an understanding

of the industry.

He is absolutely right.

There will be parts of the country

where some farmers choose to do more

by way of delivering environmental

outcomes, and in other

parts they may focus

more on food production.

Either way, we want a vibrant,

profitable farming industry

across our country.

In the Prime Minister s speech last

Friday, she said that there would be

no compromise on environmental

standards and animal welfare

standards, which was welcome.

What guarantees can the Minister

give to Welsh and UK farm producers

that they will not be disadvantaged

by lower-standard food

entering the UK market

following post-Brexit trade deals?

Both my right honourable

friend the Secretary of State

and I have always been consistently

clear that we will not

lower our high animal welfare

standards and high food standards

in this country in pursuit

of a trade deal.

It shows what we are doing to reduce

harmful pressures and those

activities that affect the marine

environment. Our fishermen are

strong custodians of fishing

environments and fishing grips in my

constituency are looking forward to

leaving the disastrous fishing

policy. Leaving the European Union

provides people in the UK with a sea

of opportunity are part of that is

protecting the marine environment so

that it supports the

fishing industry for many years to

come.

We will be leaving the common

fisheries policy next year when we

leave the European Union and this

gives us the opportunity to manage

the fisheries that we have.

The

final straw Solent is a group whose

activity is reducing plastic. Will

she join me in congratulating the

work and improving the Marine

environment?

Thank you, Mr Speaker.

I do commend the organisers of the

final straw Solent. It matters we

have local action. We need to have

wider action to stop people from

dropping their litter. We should

also look across the other side of

the Solent to Damon MacArthur --

dame. She is a champion of the

environment and doing a lot of work

to make sure we have a reduction in

plastics.

What about coral?

Well, Mr

Speaker, not a lot of people know

this but we do have some of the most

spectacular coral reefs in the world

in these islands. The art is

protected feature of the Marine zone

and the Scottish Government is also

protecting coral. We have engaged

with the initiatives and we are

seeking ways to promote the

importance at the meeting next

month.

Mr Speaker, may I ask her not

to be too broke real on this, this

is a global challenge and we have an

association meeting coming up in

London. Is it not about time her and

her boss got there, made common

cause, crossed the 52 nations to do

something on a global scale that is

meaningful?

Well, Mr Speaker, there

are now 53 Commonwealth nations

since they joined last month. We are

working with our Commonwealth

nations to have an ambitious blue

charger which will focus on the

challenges he sets out.

-- Charter.

My honourable friend is right that

the threats to our oceans are

international, not national. It is

good to take action on plastics

locally but the threatening of coral

reefs and plastic in the seed do

call for international action. What

leadership will this Government

gives.

I would like to think the

United Kingdom is the reader on this

issue is. As they said to the

honourable gentleman, this is an

international matter. That is why it

recently I've been to the United

States and Canada working with

Canada as the presidency of the G-7

this year, we are working on this

and this is the top of the agenda

this Government.

Thank you, Mr

Speaker. The last question on the

25th of January I as the Secretary

of State, giving all of the times,

when is it going and when? For the

people of the Western Isles and the

south-west of England can enjoy the

products of the fishing every day. I

said, good dodge and she said, thank

you. I wonder if we can get an

answer. Given the times the UK

Government say they will take from

the European Union, when is it going

and when?

The Government is still

seeking a trade deal in the future

but he should also be aware of other

countries like Norway and Iceland

who are independent states, they

have control of their waters and the

annual negotiations for sheer stocks

and we are part of that negotiation.

-- sheared.

Leaving the European

Union provides UK to improve the

profitability of the agriculture

sector. In our document we set out

an approach to support that

objective and the other seeking the

views of industry on a range of

views to improve the competitiveness

of the farming industry. Since it is

International Women's Day, can I

congratulate the first ever woman

president of the National Farmer

union.

May I join him in that

sentiment. Brexit is the greatest

threat to Scottish farming. Given

that Scotland has higher rates of

capital funding and the types of

farming that can take place in

Scotland are very specific, will he

commit here and now to be sure no

subsidies are cut to Scotland after

Brexit?

The honourable lady will be

aware that it is our intention that

agricultural policy and the divine

of individual schemes will very much

be the matter for the devolved

administration. I hope and look

forward to the proposals from the

Scottish Government. We have offered

to share our proposals with them so

they can learn from our analysis.

I

am proud that asparagus from my

region has been given protected

status. It helps used sales. We'll

be stated still be recognised post

Brexit?

Vale of Evesham asparagus obviously

has a fantastic reputation

across our country and,

indeed, around the world.

On protected food names,

our intention is that the existing

legislation will come

across through the

European Union Bill.

Third countries can already seek

designations for the EU market,

and the designations we already have

in the UK will be protected

through our domestic legislation.

The Member for Caithness,

Sutherland and Easter Ross

is surprisingly shy

and self-effacing this morning.

We are unlikely to reach

Question 12, so if the hon

gentleman wants to favour the House

with his thoughts on this question,

which is not dissimilar to his own,

he is welcome to do so.

Thank you, Mr Speaker.

One way to make small farms viable

is to add value to their product.

I was brought up on a small dairy

farm, and my brother is now

a successful cheesemaker,

it is rather good cheese.

Will the Minister undertake

to instruct his officials

to encourage small farms to go down

this route and, as and when best

practice is developed, will it be

shared with the Scottish Government,

because in my case this is,

of course, a devolved matter?

We recognise the importance

of our small family farms,

and we also recognise that some

of them may face more

challenges in a transition

from the old system

to the future one.

In our paper, we set out detailed

proposals on a gradual transition

to give them time to prepare,

and we also set out a number

of measures to help to support

productivity, add value and get

a fairer price for their products.

We would of course be more

than happy to share our proposals

with the Scottish Government.

Shrubs are farmers are pleased with

some of the mood music. --

Shropshire. Will the Minister commit

to come to the Shropshire short list

your? One of his senior officials as

well to continue that dialogue with

the farmers?

I thank my honourable

friend for that invitation and I or

another minister would be delighted

to attend the show this year. It

will be an important opportunity to

engage with the industry. We are

firmly committed to maintaining and

improving our world leading animal

welfare standards. Our paper sets

out options as we are leaving the

European Union, pilot schemes that

deliver higher welfare outcomes. We

are also reducing higher animal

welfare for chicken, hens and pics.

I thank the Minister for the answer.

There are circumstances where

somebody who has been charged with

serious animal welfare licensed has

been able to receive the new

license, leading to cases of cruelty

and neglect. Does the Minister agree

that anyone charged with the most

serious animal welfare offences

should not be allowed to get new

livestock. Will he meet with me and

the council to discuss this matter?

The animal welfare act gives courts

the power to impose it as occasion

order on anyone found guilty of

causing unnecessary suffering to

animals. This can disqualify someone

from winning and keeping animals

themselves, but crucially from

having any influence in the way an

animal is kept. If someone is

suspected of breaching the times,

they should report the matter to the

authorities. That is a difference

which someone has been charged but

not yet prosecuted. However, I would

be happy to meet my honourable

friend to discuss this matter

further.

The Minister will be aware

of long-standing public health

concerns about the routine overuse

of antibiotics on UK farms. We now

hear that an American farms, they

are five times higher, especially in

beef production. What conversations

is he having with colleagues in the

health Department Munich that

opening the market to US -- meaning

that opening the market does not

mean we have health problems in this

country?

We have reduced the

antibiotic use in agriculture in

this country, notably in the

portrait industry. We have been

clear that we went to support

approaches that will enable us to

reduce and the optics further. As I

said earlier, we will not compromise

our food standards and animal

welfare standards in pursuit of any

trade deal.

Mr Speaker, game is an

important part of our heritage and

it is a drop in menus and is served

on many establishment.

It was worth

£9 million in 2016. We have no

specific plans to promote the meat

but we continue to raise the profile

of UK food and drink overseas under

the food is great campaign.

I thank

him for his response. You will be

well aware that the game factors,

there were some hundred and 14

million. He will also be aware that

the European market and France in

particular, the market has fallen.

Can I as a minister will he be

prepared to look at introducing and

promoting game across the far east

and especially China, because there

is a market that is crying out for

game.

I regularly take part in trade

delegations with the UK Government,

and a couple of years ago I attended

the Anuga food conference

in Cologne, where there

was a producer and exporter

of UK game meat.

I am happy to meet the honourable

gentleman and consider his

proposals in this area.

Since the last DEFRA questions,

the Department has continued to work

on plans for our departure

from the European Union and we have

published our Command Paper

on future agricultural policy.

We have laid legislation

to introduce mandatory

CCTV in slaughterhouses,

taking forward our agenda

to enhance animal welfare.

Parliament has also recently debated

and passed legislation to strengthen

laws on combating litter.

Remainers and leavers agree that

one of the very worst

aspects of our EU membership

is the common fisheries policy.

Can the Minister confirm

that we are leaving it

on 29 March next year,

that the British fishing industry

can be relaunched as a result,

and that he will not trade

away our newly re-won sovereignty

over fishing in the interests

of a wider trade deal?

We have always been clear that

when we leave the European Union,

we leave the common fisheries policy

and become an independent coastal

state under international law.

There are, of course,

always annual negotiations―even

for countries outside the EU―to

agree an approach on the management

of shared stocks, and we envisage

that such meetings will continue.

I can confirm that the UK

Government's view is that there

is a trade discussion to take place.

We want a free trade

agreement and a fisheries

discussion to take place,

and we want to take back

control of our waters.

Last week's freezing

temperatures caused chaos

to water supplies this week.

Households in London

were among those hardest hit,

with customers widely reporting

a systemic failure by Thames Water

to comply with its legal obligation

to provide ten litres of water

per person for every day that

a customer is disconnected.

Will the Minister confirm that

that was the case and, if so,

when the Department was notified,

as is the requirement?

What actions does she intend to take

against companies that fail

to meet that obligation?

As I said in my recent

statement to the House,

I have ordered Ofwat to undertake

a review of what has been happening.

I ?have asked for a report to be

made available ― there might be

an interim one by the end of this

month ― and I will be

able to update the honourable

lady after that.

I hope that we can ensure that water

is getting to customers

who are still without connected

water supply this week.

Given that executives at the top

nine water and sewage companies

in England earned a combined total

of nearly £23 million in 2017

and those companies have paid out

£18.1 billion in dividends

since 2006, but that Ofwat

has already said that

taking action on pay,

dividends and tax structures is not

in its current thinking,

what is the Government's plan

to rebalance executive pay

with investment in infrastructure

and resilience and to get a grip

on our water companies if Ofwat has

said it does not intend to do so?

As we set out in our strategic

policy statement to Ofwat,

there is an expectation

of the increased investment that

needs to be made by the industry,

and the price review is under way.

Water companies will be coming out

with their consultation,

but when my right honourable

friend the Secretary of State spoke

to the water industry

at Water UK a few weeks ago,

he read it the riot act.

He has said that he will give Ofwat

whatever powers it needs

so that the water companies

will up their game.

In my constituency, plastic

debris is often washed up

on the town's beach,

harming the local ecosystem

and damaging tourism.

Does my honourable

friend agree that reducing

plastic waste is essential

for the regeneration

of Britain's seaside towns?

Absolutely.

As a child I lived in Formby,

so I visited Southport many times.

My honourable

friend is right that

plastic does not belong

on the beach or in the sea.

I commend the work that has been

done, but he will be aware

of our ongoing measures to reduce

the amount of plastic entering

the ocean and, therefore,

being left on our beaches.

The Committee on Toxicity

is reviewing the most recent

research on folic acid.

If it advises the Government

that the maximum recommended intake

should be increased or abolished,

will the Minister commit

to following the scientific

evidence, and successful practice

in other countries, by amending

bread and flour regulations

to require the fortification

of flour with folic acid,

which reduces neural tube defects?

The honourable

lady will be aware that this issue

is shared between the Department

of Health and Social Care

and the Department for Environment,

Food and Rural Affairs.

The former leads on folic acid

and we lead on labelling issues.

It is the case that there

is a complexity in EU law.

EU regulations now require that

all products that have flour

must include labelling.

That creates burdensome

problems for the industry,

but if there is a recommendation,

we will look at it sensibly.

Once we leave the EU,

we will have an opportunity to adopt

a slightly different approach.

What has the Minister done to stop

our songbirds from being trapped

and eaten in Cyprus?

My right honourable

friend raises a very

important issue.

We are part of an international

convention on migratory species.

Illegal trapping in Cyprus has been

a long-running sore.

I commend the Ministry of Defence,

police and the Armed Forces

at the sovereign base in Cyprus

for working so hard

to tackle this issue.

The Royal Society for the Protection

of Birds has shown that there has

been a 70% fall in the amount

of illegal poaching.

I am so glad that

the right honourable

Gentleman does not represent

a migratory species,

and I doubt that proposition

would be the subject

of a Division of the House.

In the light of the Secretary

of State's warning to water

companies to address public concerns

on prices, is he aware of the nine

water companies that are committed

to the Keep Me Posted campaign

to ensure that consumers

have the right to choose paper

bills and statements?

Customers can choose

to keep paper bills.

Water companies, like many other

companies, tend to offer a discount

if people choose to switch

to electronic communication,

but I am sure that customers can

take this matter up directly

through the Consumer Council

for Water if it is proving

to be a problem.

Earlier this week, thousands

of my constituents had their water

shut off by Southern Water due

to poor winter preparedness.

What discussions has the Department

had with the water industry

and Ofwat, the regulator,

to ensure that this does not

happen in future winters?

Officials have been in regular touch

with the water companies,

and on Tuesday, I convened a meeting

of water company chief executives,

Ofwat and Water UK.

As I announced to the House,

I have asked Ofwat to undertake

a review to look into

the practices that happened.

The Command Paper includes the line:

"We will adopt a trade

approach which promotes lower prices

for consumers", which

I find rather worrying.

Is it not the case that food prices

are already historically low?

Lower prices will not do anything

for British farmers.

We need good-quality,

affordable and healthy food,

not a race to the bottom

to get ever cheaper food.

The point that we are making

is that in the long term,

there may be opportunities

in certain sectors, particularly

for food that we are unable

to produce in this country,

to have lower prices

for certain products.

However, the honourable

lady makes an important point.

Generally, we have low and stable

food prices in this country,

and countries that are fully

dependent on importing

all their food tend to have higher

prices and less choice.

Given the intention to use

public money to promote

public good, does my honourable

friend agree that as well as

rewarding farmers for looking

after ?the environment,

we should support growers

who contribute to public health

by growing healthy fruit

and vegetables?

My honourable

friend makes a very important

point - as a former fruit

and vegetable grower,

I should perhaps declare

an interest - and she

is absolutely right.

We believe that our future policy,

in so far as it supports innovation,

will be open to the horticulture

sector so that it can invest

in its future, and we also talk

about the importance of promoting

nutritious food.

The Government said in court

that they considered

it sufficient to take "a pragmatic,

less formal approach"

to areas of poor air quality.

Portsmouth has consistently breached

World Health Organisation

guidelines, with 95 premature deaths

each year attributed

to air pollution.

Does the Minister therefore consider

it appropriate to take an informal

approach to preventing deaths

and protecting the health

of my constituents?

I think that the honourable

gentleman is selectively

quoting from the judgment.

However, this Government take air

quality very seriously.

Portsmouth is expected to be

compliant within the next

two to three years.

The Government have been

using the benchmark of a charging

clean air zone, which would take

at least four years

to come into place.

He might well be shaking his head,

but he needs to be working

with his council on what it is doing

to improve local roads

and what it is working

on regarding public health.

I am sure that he will work

alongside Councillor Donna Jones,

who is making great efforts

to improve air quality.

The EU Commission's position

on fisheries has been widely

reported in the last 24 hours.

It states that "existing reciprocal

access to fishing waters

and resources should be maintained".

It also seems to suggest that any

future trade deal will be heavily

dependent on EU fishermen

maintaining the current unfair

access to British waters.

Agreeing to this position is clearly

unacceptable to fishing

communities around the UK.

Will my honourable

friend confirm that the Government

consider the EU's position to be

just as unacceptable?

Yes.

I simply say to my honourable

friend that this is an EU position.

It currently benefits considerably

from access to UK waters.

At the moment, the UK fleet accesses

around 100,000 tonnes

of fish in EU waters,

but the EU accesses 700,000 tonnes

of fish in UK waters,

so it would say that, wouldn't it?

That is not a position

that the UK Government share.

I draw the Minister's attention

to the very serious oil spill

stretching from Pymmes brook

in my constituency right down

the River Lea to the Olympic Park.

This has happened for

the second time in two years.

Is it not time for the Environment

Agency, the Canal & River Trust,

the local authorities

and Thames Water to get together,

once they have cleaned up the spill,

to see what they can do to prevent

such spills?

I have already replied

to the right honourable

gentleman about this

point through answers

to written questions.

The Environment Agency has

traced the waste oil

to a potential polluter,

but I cannot give further details

due to the ongoing investigation.

I assure him that the Environment

Agency carries out pollution

prevention visits at industrial

premises along that area and,

of course, we are still

working to clean it up.

Last week's Brexit paper referred

to the availability of food,

but made zero reference

to the scandal that one in 12

British adults had gone

a whole day without it.

Why do the Government not care

about people going hungry?

We do care about

people going hungry.

We have a number of initiatives

to support food banks and ensure

that food is redistributed.

We are also reforming and improving

the benefits system to help

people back into work,

which is obviously the best option.

The Minister will be aware

of the concern expressed

by Northern Ireland farmers

and other food producers

about cross-border trade.

Does the Minister agree

that we need an arrangement that

will accommodate everyone?

I very much agree with

the honourable gentleman.

I met him and a number of others

yesterday to discuss the particular

challenges of the Northern Ireland

border, and I can reassure him

that the Government are fully

apprised of that concern.