Contributions
1,483 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDPesticidesMy Lords, I refer your Lordships to my farming interests as in the register. Our approach to pesticides regulation is underpinned by the precautionary principle. That is why, for…25 May 2021HANSARDPesticidesI share the noble Baroness’s concern for soils; it is absolutely fundamental to our 25-year environment plan and other policies that we are introducing. I refer her to concerns…25 May 2021HANSARDPesticidesMy Lords, the UK is a world leader in developing greener farm practices and upholds the highest standards of environmental and health protection. We operate a strict science-based…25 May 2021HANSARDPesticidesI am sure there will be a great many amendments to the Environment Bill, and I look forward to debating them with your Lordships. The question of pesticide use close to population…25 May 2021HANSARDEnvironmental Land Management SchemesI am grateful to the noble Lord. I think he will be reassured that, in moving from area payments to a more nuanced system of supporting environmental activities, farmers will be…24 May 2021HANSARDEnvironmental Land Management SchemesMy Lords, I declare my farming interests as set out in the register. Our approach to environmental land management is the cornerstone of our new agricultural policy. Work to…24 May 2021HANSARDEnvironmental Land Management SchemesLike the noble Earl, I certainly recognise the need to provide further certainty. That is why in November we published the agricultural transition plan, which set out in detail…24 May 2021HANSARDEnvironmental Land Management SchemesI am grateful for the kind comments of welcome. I am living proof that you can boil cabbage twice: it is very nice to be back at the department. We are introducing three schemes…24 May 2021HANSARDEnvironmental Land Management SchemesMy Lords, we recognise that our changes will be challenging for some farmers. I know that Exmoor farmers, in particular, are close to the noble Baroness’s heart. The scheme that…24 May 2021HANSARDEnvironmental Land Management SchemesMy Lords, it is early days on the lump sum payment for farmers to retire. It is proposed that the scheme will come in next year and will involve two years’ basic payment scheme…24 May 2021HANSARDEnvironmental Land Management SchemesI thank the noble Baroness for her question and her welcome. The Government are committed to trying to assist farming through this transition period. She will be aware of the…24 May 2021HANSARDEnvironmental Land Management SchemesWe have had about 2,000 requests to enter the sustainable farming initiative pilot; we will probably go with around 1,000 of those, starting from October this year. We intend to…24 May 2021HANSARDEnvironmental Land Management SchemesI entirely agree with my noble friend that our soil is a vital resource. I hope he will agree that our sustainable farming incentive scheme provides a range of opportunities for…24 May 2021HANSARDNATO: Russia and UkraineMy Lords, egregious human rights violations and breaches of international law by murderous and kleptocratic regimes such as that in Russia can be responded to by using our…15 Apr 2021HANSARDUnited Nations Biodiversity ConferenceMy Lords, the ground-breaking UN report, The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity , said that we need to reflect on both “the value of nature, and on the nature of value.” The…13 Apr 2021HANSARDHeather and Grass etc. Burning (England) Regulations 2021I refer noble Lords to my entry in the register. As Environment Minister, I was often berated by upland managers who complained that they were being prevented from rewetting their…18 Mar 2021HANSARDBudget StatementMy Lords, I am delighted to address your proceedings for the first time. I wish I had more opportunity to be as effusive as I want to be for all the people who have made my…12 Mar 2021HANSARD Intelligence and Security Committee Report on RussiaIn my time on the Intelligence and Security Committee, I have built up a healthy respect for the way in which we conduct parliamentary scrutiny of our secret intelligence…05 Nov 2019HANSARDEngagementsMr Speaker, I wish you well and add to the plaudits by thanking you for the way you have represented my father’s old constituents of Buckingham. I know you have been assiduous in…30 Oct 2019HANSARD Environment BillI always think that we get listened to better in this House if we can find something in what we say that is generous to the other side, so I will be generous and say that I…28 Oct 2019