Contributions
1,165 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDFood StrategyBefore answering this question, I would like to take this opportunity to correct the record. In an urgent question to which I replied on 19 May, I stated: “We are largely…23 Jun 2022HANSARDFood StrategyNo, he was wrong, because we have implemented new point-of-sale restrictions, which take effect later this year, in October. That is already driving reformulation; so we have put…23 Jun 2022HANSARDFood StrategyAlthough CF Fertilisers has confirmed its intention to close the Ince plant, it is maintaining production at the Billingham plant, which is the largest of the plants, and I…23 Jun 2022HANSARDFood StrategyI entirely agree with the hon. Gentleman; although CF Fertilisers has chosen to consolidate its UK operations into Billingham, the Ince plant remains viable and the best…23 Jun 2022HANSARDFood StrategyMy right hon. Friend makes a very important point. Some years ago, we changed the planning guidance from the chief planning officer in the then Department for Communities and…23 Jun 2022HANSARDTopical QuestionsI take this opportunity to welcome the confirmation this week that the UN convention on biological diversity, COP15, will now be going ahead at the end of this year in Canada…23 Jun 2022HANSARDTopical QuestionsMy hon. Friend will know that duty and tax is a matter for the Treasury, but I am more than happy to meet his constituents. The English wine industry has been a fabulous success…23 Jun 2022HANSARDTopical QuestionsWe have set out some detailed proposals on this, both in our response to the Glover review, but also under the Environment Act 2021. Local authorities will be required to have…23 Jun 2022HANSARDTopical QuestionsI met FareShare recently to discuss a particular proposal it had around trying to ensure that waste on farms was redistributed where possible. We did increase the funding for…23 Jun 2022HANSARDTopical QuestionsMy hon. Friend makes an important point, and that is why we have decided this year to give the industry the confidence needed by bringing forward half of the BPS payment to July…23 Jun 2022HANSARDTopical QuestionsThe hon. Lady raises a sad and tragic case, and our thoughts are with the affected families. On her specific question, she will know that we have introduced legislation to push…23 Jun 2022HANSARD Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) BillI beg to move, that the Bill be now read a Second time. The UK is home to some of the world’s best agricultural research facilities. For some 70 years, plant breeders have used…15 Jun 2022HANSARD Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) BillMy hon. Friend, who knows a great deal about animal welfare issues in particular, raises some very important points. He will know that livestock breeders have long selected traits…15 Jun 2022HANSARD Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) BillWe have considered these matters in great depth. We ran a consultation. The overwhelming view of scientists are that these precision-breeding techniques, which do not achieve or…15 Jun 2022HANSARD Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) BillI will give way one more time, and then I will conclude.15 Jun 2022HANSARD Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) BillMy hon. Friend raises an important point. In fact, I was at the agrifood council when the European Court of Justice judgment came in 2018. Even countries that had some scepticism…15 Jun 2022HANSARD Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) BillAs I have set out, as a point of science, the scientific community and the UK Government rejected the legal conclusion of the European Court of Justice. It is important to point…15 Jun 2022HANSARD Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) BillThe Bill defines this quite tightly and lists what classes of animals are to be included. On some of these very specific technical issues, I am sure that hon. Members who have…15 Jun 2022HANSARD Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) BillI think consumers want to see fewer pesticides in their food, and technologies such as this open the door for us to achieve that. As part of the notification process that I will…15 Jun 2022HANSARD Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) BillThere will be transparency in the sense that any authorised product will be listed. No marketing authorisation will be granted for the sale of any food unless it has been properly…15 Jun 2022