Thursday Volume 642 7 June 2018 No. 149 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Thursday 7 June 2018 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2018 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 421 7 JUNE 2018 422 Michael Gove: The hon. Gentleman makes a very House of Commons important point. We already have our plastics pact, which has been agreed by WRAP—the Waste and Thursday 7 June 2018 Resources Action Programme—a charity that we support. That commitment was made by leading companies across the United Kingdom to ensure that they use less The House met at half-past Nine o’clock virgin material, and that more of the plastic they use is recycled or recyclable. We are also thinking hard about reform of the producer responsibility note scheme, and PRAYERS we will be saying more about that later. [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con): When looking at international comparisons of best practice for deposit return schemes, which countries is the Secretary of Oral Answers to Questions State looking at most closely? Michael Gove: No country has a perfect model, but we have looked at examples in Scandinavia. One of the things that those countries have been so successful in ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS achieving is a phenomenal level of return—and, indeed, high levels of recycling. We need to think carefully about the nature of drinking and the pattern of The Secretary of State was asked— consumption in the United Kingdom to see what exactly Deposit Return Scheme would work and go with the grain of consumption habits here. 1. Jessica Morden (Newport East) (Lab): Whether he has had discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer Maggie Throup (Erewash) (Con): Beyond incentives on introducing a deposit return scheme. [905701] such as the deposit scheme, what discussions has my right hon. Friend had with the Chancellor about improving The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and the UK’s recycling infrastructure so that we can recycle Rural Affairs (Michael Gove): The answer is yes. a wider range of products, such as coffee cups and microwave oven-ready cartons? Jessica Morden: Tomorrow, a team from AB InBev brewery and Keep Wales Tidy will again be out cleaning Michael Gove: My right hon. Friend the Chancellor up the shores of the Severn estuary, which highlights has initiated a review of the taxation and treatment of the very urgent action that is needed to protect our single-use plastics overall. One of the things we want to environment from the devastating impact of plastic do is to make sure that the money that producers remit pollution. Will the Secretary of State confirm that he as a result of using particular materials is used to ensure has Treasury backing for a deposit return scheme, and improved recycling across the country. I know that when will we see some action? Treasury Ministers—not just my right hon. Friend the Chancellor, but the Exchequer Secretary—are working Michael Gove: We have already seen formidable action hard on these matters. to embrace the opportunities that a deposit return scheme would provide and to ensure that we deal with Leaving the EU: Agricultural Sector the environmental damage the hon. Lady mentioned. I should take this opportunity to say that it is not just the 2. Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney and Shetland) Treasury that recognises the importance of acting, but (LD): What plans he has put in place to support the UK our colleagues in the Scottish and Welsh Governments, agricultural sector in the event of the UK leaving the with whom we have had collaborative successful discussions EU without a deal. [905703] as well. The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (George Sir Patrick McLoughlin (Derbyshire Dales) (Con): Is Eustice): Whatever the nature of our future economic it not true that this project need not cost the Treasury partnership with the European Union, we will design any money whatsoever, and that we should just get on and implement our own independent agriculture policy with it? based on financial rewards and incentives for the delivery of public goods, and support farmers in reducing their Michael Gove: No one is keener on getting on with costs and adding value to their produce so that they things, and indeed on saving money, than my right hon. become more profitable. Friend, whose own record in government is one of the most distinguished over the past seven years—and, in Mr Carmichael: I take it from that answer that we do fact, beyond. He is absolutely right: in delay there lies not actually have any plans in place yet, and time is no plenty. ticking. The Minister knows that something in the region of two thirds of our red meat exports go to the Nick Smith (Blaenau Gwent) (Lab): Keep Wales Tidy European Union. The lack of certainty about our future does a great job in Blaenau Gwent, too. What steps are customs relationship with the EU is now causing real the Government taking to address the problem of plastic and substantial concern. When will the Minister remove waste at the manufacturer level? that uncertainty? 423 Oral Answers 7 JUNE 2018 Oral Answers 424 George Eustice: I disagree with the right hon. Gentleman. Pete Wishart (Perth and North Perthshire) (SNP): We have already published our consultation on future One of the most critical issues facing our rural communities agriculture policy—we are analysing the 44,000 responses is the need to ensure that we have a reliable seasonal —and we are looking at this closely. On the issue of workforce to harvest our produce this summer. At the trade, the UK is also a very important market for the Scottish Affairs Committee, the Immigration Minister European Union, notably for Irish beef, poultry from said that she would not give anything to Scotland that the Netherlands and pork from Denmark, so it is also in she would not give to Lincolnshire. In Scotland, that the EU’s interests to have a comprehensive free trade went down like a trailer full of rotten raspberries, and I agreement. dare the Minister to repeat it. Will the hon. Gentleman tell Scotland—and indeed Lincolnshire—when he intends Maria Caulfield (Lewes) (Con): Farmers in my to announce a new seasonal workers scheme? What will constituency are concerned about a lack of focus on he say to growers in Scotland and Lincolnshire who food production in agriculture policy post Brexit. Farmers now face the prospect of their produce rotting in the are the biggest guardians of our environment, and they fields? can protect the environment and produce food at the same time. What support will the Minister give farmers George Eustice: As the hon. Gentleman knows, to enable them to produce food post Brexit? I spent 10 years working in the soft fruit industry and I understand the issue of labour in some detail. We are George Eustice: I am grateful to my hon. Friend for having discussions with the Home Office and other making that point, and a number of farmers have also parts of Government about the future arrangements for raised the issue with me. I would simply say that the immigration and a seasonal agricultural workers scheme. consultation had sections on safeguarding a profitable future for farming, on fairness in the supply chain, on Dr David Drew (Stroud) (Lab/Co-op): In the responses risk and resilience, and on investment in research and to “Health and Harmony”, the two areas of greatest development, so there was lots on food production. I concern were the impact of the withdrawal of the basic simply say that we want to change the way we farm so payments scheme on smaller farmers and tenant farmers, that it is more sustainable; not stop farming, or do work and the transition period. What discussions has the on the environment instead of farming. Minister had with the Treasury about extending the transition period, given that that must be the right way Kerry McCarthy (Bristol East) (Lab): I asked the to approach this? Minister back in March whether he had held meetings to discuss the problems that might arise because of the George Eustice: My right hon. Friend the Secretary overuse of antibiotics in US farming, if we were to of State spoke to the Chief Secretary to the Treasury move to trading with the US and accept its standards. about these issues just a couple of days ago. We made a He would not confirm whether he had met representatives clear manifesto commitment to protect spending on of the Department of Health and Social Care or the agriculture until 2022—the end of this Parliament. Department for International Trade to ensure that we Thereafter we will have a new funded policy. could rule out imports of meat produced in the US, which has five times the use of antibiotics that we have Flood Defences in this country. 3. James Frith (Bury North) (Lab): What assessment George Eustice: My right hon. Friend the Secretary he has made of the effect of changes in the level of of State recently met the chief medical officer to talk funding for flood defences on the effectiveness of those about the important issue of antibiotics use. We also defences. [905705] have the O’Neill report, which set key targets for the UK to reduce its use of antibiotics, and the UK has The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for campaigned globally through various international forums Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (David Rutley): to reduce the use of antibiotics in agriculture.