No Deal: Agriculture
(Ogmore) (Lab)
9. What discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the effect on UK farmers
and agriculture of the UK leaving the EU without a withdrawal
agreement. [911600]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Exiting the
European Union (Kwasi Kwarteng)
We continue to have regular conversations with ministerial
colleagues across the Government on all aspects of exiting the
EU. To provide certainty to farmers and landowners, the
Government pledged to commit the same cash total in funds for
farm support until the end of this Parliament. That commitment
applies to the whole of the UK in both a deal and no-deal
scenario.
After studying the Government’s no deal notices, the National
Farmers Union has said that a no-deal Brexit would be
“catastrophic” for British agriculture. Why then does the
Secretary of State talk up a no deal as a viable option and back
a leadership candidate who supports leaving on 31 October, “do or
die”?
We have had a deal, which the hon. Gentleman and his hon. Friends
and colleagues rejected three times. It makes absolutely no sense
for them to complain about the prospect of no deal when they
rejected a deal so comprehensively on three occasions.
(Arfon) (PC)
What progress has been made in setting up the successor scheme to
the EU’s geographical indications system, which has proved so
commercially lucrative for food and drink manufacturers,
including people who produce Welsh beef and Welsh lamb?
We have made a lot of progress on trying to replace a lot of the
EU’s funds and the regional way in which they allocate money. We
have the UK shared prosperity fund, details of which will be
introduced next year.
(Bristol East) (Lab)
In the recent Tory leadership debate, the Foreign Secretary
challenged his rival over no deal, saying:
“Let me ask Boris a question: what would you say to a sheep
farmer in Shropshire that I met whose business would be destroyed
by 40% tariffs?”
What would the Minister say to that sheep farmer?
We have already made a commitment in this House to support our
agricultural industries and our farmers under any circumstances,
whether that is a deal or no deal. We have an Agriculture Bill
that will allow the Secretary of State to provide the support
that our people need.
