Extract from Commons
motion to approve the Exiting the European Union (Structural
and Investment Funds)
(Argyll and Bute)
(SNP):...It has been reported just today that the
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary has told
the National Farmers Union, in relation to UK
farmers, that
“there is no absolute guarantee that we would be able to continue
to export…to the EU”
under a no-deal scenario. This is the chaos into which we have
descended...
To read the whole debate, CLICK
HERE
Extract from Delegated
Legislation Committee motion to approve the Draft Import of
and Trade in Animals and Animal products (Amendment etc.) (EU
Exit) Regulations 2019 Draft Trade in Animals and Related
Products (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (David
Rutley):...As I was saying, the Department for
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has engaged with various
major stakeholders, including the Food and Drink Federation, the
International Meat Trade Association and the National Farmers Union, on the subject
of these instruments, and those stakeholders raised no concerns
with DEFRA’s approach...
Dr (Stroud)
(Lab/Co-op):...If we have different standards, it is not
just the immediate impact that we need to consider. There will be
a longer-term impact on our ability to work with other countries,
because they will react against us if we have lower standards,
which will have a huge impact on the agricultural sector. One of
the questions I want to ask the Minister stems from the debate,
which was quite testy, I think it is fair to say, with the
Secretary of State about where we are today—this is from
the National Farmers
Union conference—with regard to the UK becoming
a third country in relation to the EU. How are those negotiations
going? It appears that they are stuck in transit, as I gather
that the Secretary of State did not have the easiest time
answering questions at the NFU. One of the key concerns was when
we would be able to say that that relationship was properly
embedded...
...I have some questions for the Minister. He may not be able to
answer them all, but he can write to me later. The NFU’s main
concern is about shipments from other parts of the world—the
example it gives is south American beef arriving in Rotterdam
that is found to be not fit for human consumption—and what
involvement the UK will have in such a decision. At the moment,
that is a pan-European decision, but it cannot be for us if we
are not in the EU. Do we put officers alongside those in
Rotterdam or must we have our own checks this side of the
border?
To read the whole debate, CLICK
HERE
