Thursday Volume 659 9 May 2019 No. 298 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Thursday 9 May 2019 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2019 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 637 9 MAY 2019 638 Mr Speaker: This is very interesting, but what is the House of Commons question? John Mann: The question, Mr Speaker, is this: does Thursday 9 May 2019 the Minister agree that such a partnership would be in the national interest? The House met at half-past Nine o’clock Dr Coffey: The Government have already done that extensively in village halls, but I am sure that my right PRAYERS hon. Friend the Minister for Energy and Clean Growth will be delighted to take an interest in any proposals that the hon. Gentleman puts to her. [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con): Although small, the village of Rushton in my constituency has a church, a pub, a village hall and a village newsletter. Oral Answers to Questions Village halls are extremely important. Will the Minister take this opportunity to praise all the volunteers who seek no reward, save to serve their local communities? ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS Dr Coffey: I certainly will. I am sure that in some of the villages in Buckingham tonight, the villagers will be The Secretary of State was asked— gathering in their rural communities to watch Arsenal— hopefully—beat Valencia, just as they will have watched Village Halls Spurs win last night and the mighty Liverpool win on Tuesday. Village halls are places where communities 1. Craig Tracey (North Warwickshire) (Con): What come together for moments of joy, but also for other steps he is taking to regenerate village halls in rural important purposes such as community activities, and communities. [910775] our villages would be poorer without them. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Conor McGinn (St Helens North) (Lab): I welcome Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Dr Thérèse Coffey): the fund, but may I ask the Minister to look again at the Village halls are at the heart of rural communities, and eligibility criterion that forbids parish councils from we want to ensure that they remain so for many years to bidding for it? In villages such as Rainford, Billinge and come. That is why, on 5 April this year, the Government Seneley Green in my constituency, halls run by parish launched a £3 million fund to improve them. Grants of councils are real community hubs, and they would be up to £75,000, or 20% of the project costs, are available good umbrella bodies to bid for the money on behalf of for the refurbishment and alteration of these essential their communities. community buildings. Dr Coffey: I will certainly look at that again. I understand Craig Tracey: Village halls are a vital asset in many that village halls are usually run by separate entities, so I rural parts of my constituency, offering a wide range of am not sure why there is a barrier to grant applications activities for groups of people of all ages. I know that in the villages that the hon. Gentleman has mentioned. from personal experience, having served as chair of my local village hall in Shuttington for several years before Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP): Hundreds of farmers my election. I welcome the fund, but how are village are being treated for mental health issues. What plans hall committees being encouraged to apply for it, given have been made to ensure that village halls have a that they are often run by a large number of dedicated signpost to mental health help for rural communities? volunteers? Dr Coffey: Village halls are used for a variety of Dr Coffey: We have publicised the grant scheme on purposes, including the provision of health services, social media and fundraising community websites, and which are also available in the voluntary sector. I commend there have been more than 70 expressions of interest. the hon. Gentleman’s suggestion on how we can continue The National Association of Local Councils has been to use village halls to support farmers locally. informed, and I am sure that it will use its networks to advertise the scheme. I should point out that the deadline Farm Workforce for applications is March 2020. The funds may already have been allocated by then, so we want to encourage as 2. Antoinette Sandbach (Eddisbury) (Con): What steps many village halls as possible to get on with their he is taking to ensure that farmers have access to the project proposals. workforce that they need during the harvest. [910776] John Mann (Bassetlaw) (Lab): Bassetlaw will be happy The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to pioneer the green energy policy in village halls, along (Mr Robert Goodwill): DEFRA is working closely with with the Secretary of State and the Government. We the Home Office on the future immigration framework offer all our village halls to the Government, so that, as part of the longer-term strategy for labour in the with Government funds, they can work together to food chain. The seasonal workers pilot is now open, become carbon-neutral, and villages can see the benefits— and the first workers have arrived on UK farms. 639 Oral Answers 9 MAY 2019 Oral Answers 640 Antoinette Sandbach: Eddisbury is the home of high- Mr Goodwill: Having studied soil science at university, quality dairy farming and produces much of the country’s I understand that soil is one of our greatest assets, and milk. However, dairy farmers in Cheshire are having indeed the numerous environmental benefits and services huge problems with staff recruitment. What steps is the that can be derived from activities that enhance soil Department taking to ensure that the £30,000 annual health will be eligible for public money. earnings threshold for migrant workers post Brexit will not apply to farm workers? Kerry McCarthy (Bristol East) (Lab): I am glad that the Minister has had a change of heart on that because Mr Goodwill: As I have said, DEFRA is working he argued against my amendment on soil during the Bill closely with the Home Office on this issue.The Government Committee, but now he is on the Front Bench. What are are committed to ensuring that a wide range of stakeholders we doing to try to meet net zero emissions from farming have an opportunity to contribute their views and shape either through the Agriculture Bill or other mechanisms? the development of the future immigration policy. That The Committee on Climate Change again endorsed is why the Government have embarked on an extensive that this week. What are the Government doing and programme of targeted engagement with businesses when is the target going to be reached? and other stakeholders across the UK. Mr Goodwill: The hon. Lady makes a good point John Mc Nally (Falkirk) (SNP): In evidence to the and, indeed, emissions from agriculture have fallen by Scottish Affairs Committee, Archie Gibson of Agrico about 16% since 1990. However, progress has stalled in UK said that if Scottish farmers cannot get the seasonal recent years, with little change since 2009, and I know workers they need to replace EU workers no longer able from the work we did together on the Environmental to come here, two fifths of farmers will cease the Audit Committee that we need to make further progress enterprise that needs that workforce; furthermore, three on that, particularly by looking at methane, which has a fifths will have to downsize. We all here, as the hon. briefer half-life than other greenhouse gases such as Member for Eddisbury (Antoinette Sandbach) pointed carbon dioxide and so needs to be dealt with in a out, have to make the not unfounded assumption that slightly different way. the same is true for the rest of the UK’s farmers and growers. Therefore, will the Secretary of State make urgent representations to his Cabinet colleagues that Fiona Bruce (Congleton) (Con): As we know, the our farmers need migrant workers? They need a ready potential of leaving the EU is creating some uncertainty supply—not a short-term pilot, but certainty of policy so can the Minister reassure Cheshire farmers and the that will not leave crops rotting in the ground again. National Farmers Union that the current funding schemes that their members are working with will not be phased Mr Goodwill: May I correct the hon. Gentleman? He out until replacements are available to ensure that there says EU workers will not be able to come here; under will not be any loss of funding during any period of whichever scenario we leave the EU, that will not be the transition? case. Those who are already here will be able to stay. During the implementation period, people will be able Mr Goodwill: We have made the decision clear with to live, work and study as now, and there is a registration regard to the 2019 and 2020 schemes, and I remind scheme. In a no-deal scenario, European economic area farmers that the deadline for applications this year is citizens will be able to live and work here without a visa 15 May as usual. I hope that they will get their applications for three months and then continue to stay by applying in; sadly, in most years, we get a lot of applications in for European temporary leave to remain, which gives the last 24 hours. them 36 additional months.