Thursday Volume 684 19 November 2020 No. 138 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Thursday 19 November 2020 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2020 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 441 19 NOVEMBER 2020 442 Greg Hands: My hon. Friend is absolutely right. House of Commons Placing the Trade and Agriculture Commission on a statutory footing will ensure that public and industry Thursday 19 November 2020 interests are advanced and protected in Britain’sagriculture and trade policy. As the National Farmers’ Union said: “This significant commitment to primary legislation on food The House met at half-past Nine o’clock standards, both in the Agriculture Bill and the Trade Bill, is exactly what we have been calling for.” PRAYERS Anthony Browne: The farmers of South Cambridgeshire are some of the most efficient and environmentally [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] friendly in the country, but they have concerns that they The House entered into hybrid scrutiny proceedings might be undermined in any trade deal by imports that (Order, 4 June). are produced to lower animal welfare or environmental [NB: [V] denotes a Member participating virtually.] standards. They strongly welcome the Government’s decision to put the Trade and Agriculture Commission on a statutory footing—a move also welcomed by farming and environmental groups across the country. Will my Oral Answers to Questions right hon. Friend tell the House what role the commission will play during trade negotiations, to ensure that standards are maintained? INTERNATIONAL TRADE Greg Hands: I thank my hon. Friend for that question. He is a reliable supporter of farmers in his constituency. The Secretary of State was asked— The Agri-food trade and agriculture group will feed in during the negotiations. He also asked about the TAC, Trade Agreements: Food and Farming Standards and I wish to use this occasion to praise its chairman, Tim Smith, for the excellent work that he has done so James Grundy (Leigh) (Con): What steps the Government far, and in very good time. are taking to maintain food and farming standards in future trade agreements. [908984] Damian Hinds: Colleagues across the House welcome the news about the Trade and Agriculture Commission’s Anthony Browne (South Cambridgeshire) (Con): What statutory footing. It will be a strong voice for our steps the Government are taking to maintain food and farmers, and it will also provide expert independent farming standards in future trade agreements. [908990] advice for this House as we consider the impact of each trade deal on agriculture. When does the Minister expect Damian Hinds (East Hampshire) (Con): What steps those amendments to be tabled, and for the Trade Bill the Government are taking to maintain food and farming to resume its progress? standards in future trade agreements. [908991] Greg Hands: We plan to table that amendment to the Duncan Baker (North Norfolk) (Con): What steps Trade Bill on Report in the House of Lords. The the Government are taking to maintain food and farming scheduling of business is obviously a matter for business standards in future trade agreements. [908997] managers, but we intend the Bill to be completed by the Virginia Crosbie (Ynys Môn) (Con): What steps the end of the transition period. Government are taking to maintain food and farming Duncan Baker: I represent a rural constituency, North standards in future trade agreements. [908999] Norfolk, where farming is the lifeblood for so many. My Robbie Moore (Keighley) (Con): What steps the farmers are delighted about the Trade and Agriculture Government are taking to maintain food and farming Commission’s statutory footing, and that move has also standards in future trade agreements. [909005] been applauded by the National Farmers Union. Will the Minister reassure my constituents that the commission Mrs Flick Drummond (Meon Valley) (Con): What will protect animal welfare and farming standards, and steps the Government are taking to maintain food and help to allow the farming sector to assess the deals that farming standards in future trade agreements. [909009] come forward for that important sector? The Minister for Trade Policy (Greg Hands): The Greg Hands: I know from my right hon. Friend the Government are firmly committed to our manifesto Secretary of State how important farming is in Norfolk, pledges to uphold our high environmental, food safety, in both her constituency and that of my hon. Friend. and animal welfare standards. Under the European Farming has a strong voice on the Trade and Agriculture Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, our current standards Commission, and the NFU,NFU Scotland, NFU Cymru, are taken into UK law, and the Secretary of State has the Farmers Union of Wales, and the Ulster Farmers now placed the Trade and Agriculture Commission on Union are on it. It puts UK farming at the heart of our a statutory footing. trade agenda, and allows the sector to help advise on our future trade deals. James Grundy: Does my right hon. Friend agree that the Government’s actions in strengthening the Trade Virginia Crosbie: I thank the Minister for his answer. and Agriculture Commission firmly dismiss the rumours The extension of the Trade and Agriculture Commission that UK food standards would be compromised as a has been incredibly welcomed by farmers across Ynys result of Brexit? Môn, and it shows this Government’s commitment to 443 Oral Answers 19 NOVEMBER 2020 Oral Answers 444 upholding our high food standards. What feedback has trade partners’ domestic production standards. That the Minister received from Welsh farmers regarding would have killed off a huge amount of our trade with that move? the developing world. He mentions NFU Scotland. I thought I would go directly to the source. I am reading Greg Hands: My hon. Friend is a strong and passionate here from The Scottish Farmer, which I recommend he voice for Ynys Môn farmers, and the feedback has been reads. NFU Scotland president, Andrew McCornick, extremely positive. Putting the Trade and Agriculture said in The Scottish Farmer only last week, on putting Commission on a statutory footing has been welcomed the TAC on a statutory footing: by NFU Cymru. Indeed, its president, John Davies, “This is a huge step forward.” said that this “is a milestone moment and one that should be welcomed by all Stewart Hosie: Putting an organisation on a statutory those who care about our food, environment and high standards footing is one thing, but protecting food standards is of production.” something different. I think the Minister’s answer is what Americans call doubling down on a previous Robbie Moore: Latest figures show that the UK’s mistake. Let me give an example. UK egg producers agrifood sector is now worth £122 billion to the UK’s simply cannot compete with imported eggs produced economy, and there is plenty of room for growth. As we where the density of laying hens may be twice that set out into the world as an independent global trading permitted in the United Kingdom. The only way they nation, will my right hon. Friend confirm that, even could do that would be to massively lower food production though we have the weight of the Trade and Agriculture and animal welfare standards, something we know from Commission in place, UK agriculture will be at the the recent Which? survey the public are implacably forefront of his mind as we go forward in future trade opposed to. Is it really the Government’s intention to be negotiations? on the wrong side of food standards, the wrong side of Greg Hands: My hon. Friend is absolutely right, animal welfare, the wrong side of the farming industry and—crucially—we would never want UK agriculture and the wrong side of public opinion? to be sidelined from our trade agenda. We need and have UK agriculture fully on board, to take advantage Greg Hands: I thank the hon. Gentleman for that of selling our fantastic British food and drink produce question. He mentions the Which? survey.I was delighted to foreign markets. Already, for the first time in many to be the guest speaker at the launch of the Which? years, we are selling beef to the US, pork to Taiwan, survey, “The National Trade Conversation”, where we and we have secured better agrifood protection in our discussed many of these aspects. To be absolutely clear recent UK-Japan trade deal. to him again, our commitment that there will be no lowering of standards on animal welfare, food safety Mrs Drummond: According to blind tasting, French and the environment is absolute. I urge him again to get champagne has nothing on sparkling wine from the with the trade agenda and listen to NFU Scotland, south downs. Hambledon, Wickham, and Exton Park which says it will are vineyards that produce brilliant wine in the Meon “strive to ensure that the best interests of farming, food and the Valley, and we have some of the best produce in the drink and the public continue to be front and centre of any trade UK. Will our free trade agreement support that burgeoning deals.” industry? That is exactly the right approach being taken by NFU Scotland. I urge him and the SNP to get on board with Greg Hands: I look forward to tasting some of this that positive approach for the first time, please. Meon Valley wine, although I have to say that 9.39 in the morning might feel a little early. Our commitment Bill Esterson (Sefton Central) (Lab): The Government to promoting British wines is very strong. Among the say that they want to join the Comprehensive and potential 70 geographical indicators in the UK-Japan Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, comprehensive economic partnership agreement deal but some of its members allow growth hormones,genetically are: English wine, English regional wine, Welsh wine modified food in animal foodstuffs and insanitary and Welsh regional wine.