Whole Day Download the Hansard
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Thursday Volume 632 7 December 2017 No. 65 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Thursday 7 December 2017 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2017 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 1183 7 DECEMBER 2017 1184 says that a chicken has been reared outside or been House of Commons stunned or not stunned, people must be able to trust that they know what has happened. Thursday 7 December 2017 Michael Gove: The hon. Gentleman is right: there is confusion and uncertainty in the minds of some consumers The House met at half-past Nine o’clock as a result of current labelling. Already, farmer-led schemes such as the Red Tractor scheme ensure that PRAYERS people know that animals have been kept to the highest welfare standards, but we can go further and I look forward to working with the hon. Gentleman on that. [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] 15. [902806] Kevin Foster (Torbay) (Con): As we prepare to leave the EU it is vital that we maintain our strong Oral Answers to Questions standards of animal welfare law and use Brexit to enhance them, not diminish them by reverting to the lower standards permitted by EU law. Will my right hon. Friend assure me that the Government will seek to ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS enhance our welfare laws as we leave, including in areas where single market rules currently block us from doing The Secretary of State was asked— so? Leaving the EU: Animal Welfare Michael Gove: My hon. Friend makes a very acute point. It is in the nature of single market rules and the 1. Henry Smith (Crawley) (Con): What plans he has European Union that some animal husbandry practices, to improve animal welfare standards after the UK which we would not tolerate in this country, apply to leaves the EU. [902790] things that we sometimes import. We must consider how we can improve animal welfare standards all round. The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Michael Gove): With just two short weeks Chris Elmore (Ogmore) (Lab): Will the Secretary of before the Christmas recess, may I take this opportunity State set out what discussions he has had with the Welsh to wish you, Mr Speaker, and all the staff of the House, Government about moving forward on animal welfare who do such a superb job, a happy and peaceful Christmas once we leave the EU, regarding both that Government’s and a prosperous new year? responsibilities and the responsibilities that will come We have some of the highest animal welfare standards back from Europe to the Secretary of State? in the world. The Government are making CCTV mandatory in slaughterhouses, increasing maximum Michael Gove: I commend Lesley Griffiths, the Welsh sentences for animal cruelty to five years, banning Labour Minister who is responsible for this area in the microbeads that harm marine life, and banning the Welsh Assembly Government, for the constructive way ivory trade. On leaving the European Union we will go in which she has engaged with DEFRA over the past six even further. months. I hope to see her next week to carry forward discussions on this and other areas. Henry Smith: The Secretary of State has done more for animal welfare in recent months than was achieved Neil Parish (Tiverton and Honiton) (Con): I very in many years previously, and we all owe him a debt of much welcome higher welfare standards, cameras in gratitude for that. Will he assure the House that as we slaughterhouses, and tougher sentencing, but as we will be leaving the EU, the customs union and the single enhance our welfare, we will also add cost to production. market in 2019, we are making preparations now to We want to ensure that our consumers eat high-quality ensure that, for example, the banning of live animal product with high welfare standards, and that we do not exports and the import of foie gras can be achieved? import inferior quality meat with lower welfare standards. Michael Gove: My hon. Friend has been a passionate Michael Gove: The Chair of the Environment, Food and successful campaigner for animal welfare during and Rural Affairs Committee makes an excellent point—I his entire career in the House of Commons, and he is know that the Committee is currently conducting an right to say that there are now opportunities to take inquiry into the impact of leaving the European Union steps to improve the treatment of live exports—or on food standards overall. Critical to high food standards potentially to ban them—as we leave the European is the viability and improved productivity of our farmers Union. The steps that we take when we put animal who do such a wonderful job. welfare at the heart of all we do must be consistent with our broader negotiating objectives as we leave the EU. Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP): The Northern Ireland Assembly has passed more stringent legislation on animal Vernon Coaker (Gedling) (Lab): On animal welfare cruelty than the UK mainland. What discussions has standards, whether we are in the EU or outside it, will the Secretary of State’sDepartment had with the Northern the Secretary of State consider the importance of labelling Ireland Assembly about bringing similar measures into so that people know what they are buying? When a label operation in England and Wales? 1185 Oral Answers 7 DECEMBER 2017 Oral Answers 1186 Michael Gove: As the hon. Gentleman knows, there Chris Law (Dundee West) (SNP): As everyone in this are many ways in which Northern Ireland sets higher House will know—as a fellow Scot, the Secretary of standards than we do in the rest of the UK, and I have State will know it very clearly—Scotland has some always taken the view that we can learn a great deal of the largest protected food names in the EU, with from every part of the United Kingdom, not least the high-value products such as Scotch beef and Scotch cherished Province which I love so much. salmon accounting for some £700 million in sales, yet there has been absolutely nothing from the Government Future Trade Agreements: Agriculture on whether that will continue post Brexit. Will he give a clear indication and a clear commitment today that our 2. John Howell (Henley) (Con): What discussions he participation in this vital scheme will continue or be has had with the Secretary of State for International replaced within the UK? Trade on promoting UK agriculture in negotiations on future trade agreements. [902791] Michael Gove: I thank the hon. Gentleman, who has in his role been a passionate and effective advocate for The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Scottish industry. Yes, we want to make sure that Rural Affairs (Michael Gove): Ministers and officials geographical indicators and schemes that ensure high- meet regularly to discuss the promotion of UK agriculture. quality foods from all parts of the United Kingdom are Only last night I was talking to the Secretary of State recognised within Europe and across the world. We for International Trade, to ensure that in the next want to ensure that appropriate schemes exist in the 12 months we place the promotion of British food at future so that we can provide recognition to our trading the heart of our joint governmental endeavours. partners, as well as ensuring that the markets we care so much about are protected. John Howell: As the Prime Minister’s trade envoy to Nigeria, I recently hosted a visit of the Nigerian Agriculture Pulse Fishing Minister to the UK. Does the Secretary of State accept that the UK is leading in innovation and education in agriculture, and that we have a lot to offer that country? 3. Mr Ben Bradshaw (Exeter) (Lab): What steps his Department is taking to tackle pulse fishing in EU Michael Gove: My hon. Friend has done an outstanding waters. [902792] job as trade envoy to one of the fastest growing economies in the world, and there is much that we can do together The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (George to improve the transfer of technology between our two Eustice): There are some concerns about the impact of countries.Nigeria offers huge opportunities to our exporters, pulse trawling on certain species of fish, in particular which I know my hon. Friend has done much to help to gadoids such as cod. Earlier this year, I asked the advance. Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science to review the science on pulse trawling. The preliminary Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield) (Lab/Co-op): Surely advice concludes that while the impact on the seabed is the Secretary of State realises that the food and farming typically smaller than for traditional beam trawling, sector is terrified about the impact of leaving the European there are some detrimental effects on fish species such Union? Does he agree that the fact there has been no as cod. Once CEFAS has completed its work, we will impact assessment by him or his Department on what decide what steps are required next. will happen to farming in food in this country is a disgrace? Mr Bradshaw: I am grateful to the Minister for that reply. He will be aware, I am sure, of the concerns of Michael Gove: No. fishers in parts of south-east England about the impact of Dutch electric pulse fishing on the stocks that, Dame Caroline Spelman (Meriden) (Con): Will the surprise surprise, move across national boundaries and Secretary of State impress on the International Trade are consequently shared.