Contributions
1,165 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDTopical QuestionsMy hon. Friend makes a very important point. My ministerial colleague, the Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Banbury…04 Mar 2021HANSARDTopical QuestionsAs I said, we have seen, through the trade and co-operation agreement, a significant increase in quotas—25%, worth some £146 million. As we have left the single market and the…04 Mar 2021HANSARDTopical QuestionsI have made it clear all along that the Government had hoped to get closer to a zonal attachment sharing arrangement in that first multi-annual agreement, but the EU has been…04 Mar 2021HANSARDTopical QuestionsI do not accept that. Obviously, the Chancellor has made an announcement in relation to extending the universal credit uplift to help the financially vulnerable through the…04 Mar 2021HANSARDTopical QuestionsMy hon. Friend makes a good point. All rural areas need good digital connectivity, including his constituency. The Government have delivered superfast broadband to more than 5…04 Mar 2021HANSARDScottish Fishing BusinessesUnder the UK-EU trade and co-operation agreement, the UK has secured tariff-free access for fisheries products and a substantial transfer of quota from the European Union,…04 Mar 2021HANSARDTopical QuestionsI or one of my ministerial colleagues would be more than happy to meet the hon. Gentleman and others to discuss this. I completely agree with him that deep peat in particular can…04 Mar 2021HANSARDTopical QuestionsI clearly do not share the hon. Gentleman’s caricature of the situation. This Government are the first in the world to make it clear that 30% of our international climate finance…04 Mar 2021HANSARDTopical QuestionsWhen it comes to pesticides policy, the Government apply the precautionary principle. Emergency authorisations are an integral part of the precautionary principle, because they…04 Mar 2021HANSARDScottish Fishing BusinessesAs I said, volumes of fish exports are currently running at about 85% of normal volumes. Given coronavirus and the lockdown in the EU, we think that is probably about the right…04 Mar 2021HANSARDFish Products: StandardsAs I said to the Chair of the Select Committee earlier, when we start to introduce those checks they will indeed be equivalent and similar to the types of checks that the European…04 Mar 2021HANSARDScottish Fishing BusinessesYes, I do still believe that, and we have a 25% uplift in quota as a result of the trade and co-operation agreement and regulatory freedom that we did not have before. It is worth…04 Mar 2021HANSARDImport Checks: Live Animals and ProductsUnlike the European Union, we have taken a pragmatic approach to phasing in border controls, so that we can protect business supply chains and UK consumers, but when we do start…04 Mar 2021HANSARDImport Checks: Live Animals and ProductsWe are already conducting some checks on live animals, with full documentary checks and physical checks being conducted at the premises of destination. We plan to introduce some…04 Mar 2021HANSARDOffice for Environmental ProtectionMy hon. Friend makes an important point. The interim OEP will be able to produce an independent assessment of the Government’s progress towards their 25-year environment plan and…04 Mar 2021HANSARDAgricultural Policy: FarmersSince 2018, we have been working with farmers to build up ideas and gain their insights. So far, more than 3,000 farmers have helped us to develop aspects of our new approach…04 Mar 2021HANSARDOffice for Environmental ProtectionI believe it is fit for purpose. We have set up an independent Office for Environmental Protection that has powers to investigate. It will have powers to bring a judicial review,…04 Mar 2021HANSARDOffice for Environmental ProtectionNow that we have left the European Union, we have the opportunity to do things better. We will innovate and improve our environmental and agricultural standards, enabling us to…04 Mar 2021HANSARDFish Products: StandardsI regularly have discussions with Cabinet colleagues on this issue, in particular through the Cabinet Sub-Committee dealing with EU exit. Import controls on fish products are…04 Mar 2021HANSARDAgricultural Policy: FarmersMy hon. Friend makes a very important point. Dairy businesses such as the one she refers to in her constituency are embracing technology and innovation, and we want to support…04 Mar 2021