Contributions
1,387 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD Exiting the European Union (Agriculture)I am delighted to take part in this debate. The organic sector in this country prides itself on its high standards. We set a very high bar and are renowned for expertise in this…18 Mar 2019HANSARD Exiting the European Union (Agriculture)I pay enormous tribute to my hon. Friend. I was his Parliamentary Private Secretary when he was an Agriculture Minister, and I went through a great amount of this important work…18 Mar 2019HANSARD Exiting the European Union (Agriculture)I thank my hon. Friend for that intervention. I thoroughly agree. I know that his own beef animals are pasture-fed—an excellent system in its own right that is really good for…18 Mar 2019HANSARD Exiting the European Union (Agriculture)I will of course give way to a fellow Member from the south-west.18 Mar 2019HANSARDTopical QuestionsT7. The Alison Rose review of female entrepreneurship highlights the fact that £250 billion of untapped potential is lost to the sector because it is not taken seriously enough.…14 Mar 2019HANSARDPeriod PovertyI applaud the Secretary of State for the great work that we are doing in this area in the UK, but we must remember that it is also really important to tackle period poverty…14 Mar 2019HANSARDPeriod Poverty4. What steps she is taking to tackle period poverty.14 Mar 2019HANSARDSpring StatementI very much welcome the focus on the environment and climate change in today’s announcement. I thank the Chancellor for listening to so many representations, not just from the…13 Mar 2019HANSARD Modern Farming and the EnvironmentI pay tribute to my hon. Friend the Member for Gordon (Colin Clark) for securing this debate, and he is absolutely right that modern farming and the environment should be…12 Mar 2019HANSARD Modern Farming and the EnvironmentThank you so much, Mr Evans, because the clock in here is very confusing. Biodiversity is at the root of everything we are now trying to do. Instead of just focusing on special…12 Mar 2019HANSARD European Union (Withdrawal) ActMy right hon. Friend is making such a powerful case. Is this not about degrees of risk? We should weigh the minuscule risk, as I see it, of being trapped in the backstop against…12 Mar 2019HANSARD Modern Farming and the EnvironmentI know the hon. Lady is very passionate about this issue, and I believe that we are both on the soil inquiry that is being conducted by the Environmental Audit Committee. Does she…12 Mar 2019HANSARD Modern Farming and the EnvironmentMy hon. Friend makes the case clearly: it is so important. I really believe that soil should be included in part 1 of the Agriculture Bill and should be paid for as a public good…12 Mar 2019HANSARDRivers Authorities and Land Drainage Bill (First sitting)I thank the Minister for injecting her expertise and local knowledge into the debate. Does she agree that the Somerset IDBs do a complicated job representing landowners, as well…11 Mar 2019HANSARDRivers Authorities and Land Drainage Bill (First sitting)I applaud my hon. Friend for introducing this Bill. I am a fellow Somerset MP, and this is much needed after the devastating flooding that we all experienced and never want to see…11 Mar 2019HANSARDSchool StandardsTwo thirds of children who are excluded from school are found to have speech, language and communication difficulties. Tackling this at an early age would make a real difference…11 Mar 2019HANSARDEngagementsThe 68 million loads of washing done in the UK every week contribute a staggering 9.4 trillion microfibres to the environment. As many colleagues, including me, try to reduce…06 Mar 2019HANSARD Leaving the EU: Protection for WorkersI welcome this statement and the proposed clauses therein. As my right hon. Friend has been touching on this matter, does he agree that it is often the UK rather than the EU that…06 Mar 2019HANSARDEngagementsMr Speaker, I am not sure who is in charge of the washing machine in your house, but were you aware that every time you, I or anyone else puts a load of washing on, 700,000 tiny…06 Mar 2019HANSARD A Better Defence EstateI commend the Minister for his comprehensive statement this morning and his handling of this whole defence review. It is absolutely right that we should have a defence review, get…28 Feb 2019