Contributions
1,183 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDAgriculture Bill (Fourth sitting)Q This is for Diana. You mentioned this when you spoke about wages, but could you explain a bit more about why you think agricultural workers need a different protection regime…13 Feb 2020HANSARDAgriculture Bill (Third sitting)Q On that last point, I would be interested to know whether any of you have had discussions with farmers’ unions or equivalent bodies, or Governments in other countries, in…13 Feb 2020HANSARDAgriculture Bill (Fourth sitting)Q You spoke about the physical method for dealing with listeria and salmonella and some of these new pathogens that are emerging. Can you give us your sense of the global…13 Feb 2020HANSARDAgriculture Bill (Third sitting)That is helpful. Thank you.13 Feb 2020HANSARDAgriculture Bill (Fourth sitting)Q We had George Monbiot here earlier; I do not know if you were listening. What did you think about his point about grass-fed beef? Vicki Hird: There is a balance to be struck.…13 Feb 2020HANSARDAgriculture Bill (Third sitting)Q I represent the waterlogged Wiltshire farms that you passed today. Given your point about different soils in different places, are you confident that, in the emerging policy…13 Feb 2020HANSARDAgriculture Bill (Fourth sitting)Q And carbon capture of beef herds? Vicki Hird: There is a lot of science, and people pick the science they want to use. There are a lot of differences. You can go from one meter…13 Feb 2020HANSARDAgriculture Bill (Fourth sitting)Q I asked your Welsh counterparts this question this morning. Mr Hall, you talked about the transition from an area-based to an activity-based subsidy regime. There is also an…13 Feb 2020HANSARDAgriculture Bill (Fourth sitting)Q I have one yes/no question and then a slightly fuller question. The yes/no question is, did you say that we should take food production out of the Bill? Food production is…13 Feb 2020HANSARDAgriculture Bill (Fourth sitting)Q It should not be seen as a public good. Okay. Thank you. My next question is this: do you agree that a grass-fed cattle herd on open pasture in Wiltshire has a net positive…13 Feb 2020HANSARDAgriculture Bill (Second sitting)Q Do you mean that there should be an appeals mechanism, or do you think ultimately that you should not have to take the ruling of the arbitration at all? Judicaelle Hammond:…11 Feb 2020HANSARDAgriculture Bill (Second sitting)Q Mr von Westenholz, the suggestion of insisting in the Bill that we only import food produced to the same standards as our farmers produce is absolutely the right principle, and…11 Feb 2020HANSARDAgriculture Bill (First sitting)Q Are we going to have an army of new consultants coming in to help themselves to some of the public money? Thomas Lancaster: Advice is a really important part of the story. We…11 Feb 2020HANSARDAgriculture Bill (First sitting)Q May I quickly return to the trade deals? Mr Cross, you said earlier that we must not export our conscience to other countries to import cheap, low-quality food from abroad.…11 Feb 2020HANSARDAgriculture Bill (Second sitting)Q You have pretty much answered my question. Perhaps you could elaborate a bit more on how to do that. If it is a question of larger farmers naturally combining because they are…11 Feb 2020HANSARDAgriculture Bill (Second sitting)Q That sounds very sensible. A huge advantage of a co-op system is that it can help its members share its red risk. It would be good for me, at another time, to understand more…11 Feb 2020HANSARDAgriculture Bill (Second sitting)Q Do you have a sense of where there is more opportunity? Are you part of the local, anti-food-miles movement, or do you say, “No, we can take part in the global economy”? Richard…11 Feb 2020HANSARDAgriculture Bill (Second sitting)Q It is very good to hear that you both support the direction of travel of the Bill. We heard earlier from witnesses who were explaining how, under the direct payments system, it…11 Feb 2020HANSARDAgriculture Bill (First sitting)Q Certainly, I do not have any financial interests in the business of farming. Martin, I was interested in your point about the way that, under the direct payments system, the…11 Feb 2020HANSARD Windrush Compensation Scheme (Expenditure) BillI will be brief, Madam Deputy Speaker. This has been an extremely painful debate, and, as Members throughout the House have recognised, this is a shameful episode in our country’s…10 Feb 2020