Topical Questions 2024-11-14
2024-11-14
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
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Context
The public is angered by the state of rivers, lakes, and seas left by the previous government. The Water (Special Measures) Bill is under review.
The public are furious about the filthy, polluted state in which the previous Administration left our rivers, lakes and seas. Research estimates that as many as 170 dolphins and other mammals are caught and killed every year off the Sussex coast, yet no bycatch data is recorded. Will the Secretary of State please outline how he is ensuring that supertrawlers operating in UK waters are fulfilling their legal duty to report marine mammal bycatch to the Marine Management Organisation?
Vessels are, of course, already required to report marine mammal bycatch. We are looking at implementing remote electronic monitoring on larger vessels to gather better data about fishing activities. We are also working to improve our marine environment by ratifying the biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction agreement, enforcing fishing restrictions in marine protected areas, and ensuring that all catch limits are set sustainably.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not provide specific measures on how supertrawlers will ensure reporting of bycatch
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
The Chancellor, Secretary of State, and Food Minister claim that the family farm tax will affect only a quarter of farms. The figures have now been admitted as needing to be checked.
I wish His Majesty the King a very happy birthday. The Chancellor, the Secretary of State and the Food Minister claim that their family farm tax will affect only a quarter of farms, yet after informed questioning by the National Farmers Union, the Country Land and Business Association, the Tenant Farmers Association and Conservative Members, the Minister has now admitted that the Government need to check their figures. Should the cost of the family farm tax to farming families not have been checked before the Budget?
The data from His Majesty's Revenue and Customs is crystal clear: three quarters of farmers will pay nothing as a result of the changes. Family farming will continue into future generations, as it should.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not address why figures were not checked before Budget announcement
Response accuracy
Q3
Partial Answer
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Context
Thousands of farmers are expected to rally in Westminster against the family farm tax, delinking of payments, national insurance hikes, and other tax increases on working farms.
The Secretary of State perhaps needs to ask his Food Minister why he said at the Agricultural Industries Confederation conference that the Government are checking the figures. Let me help the Secretary of State out. He can explain the veracity and accuracy of his figures next week, when thousands of farmers come to Westminster to rally against the family farm tax, the delinking of payments, the hike in national insurance and other tax hikes on working farms in the Budget. Will he come?
It is very important that the Government listen to farmers, and of course we will do so, but I know that farmers are reasonable people. They will want to look at the facts and, like everybody else, if they drill into the HMRC data they will see that three quarters of them will end up paying no more under the new system than they do today.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not commit to attending farmers' rally in Westminster
Response accuracy
Q4
Partial Answer
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Context
Raw sewage and used toilet roll flooded a street in Southwick recently. Sewage spills are a recurring issue affecting residents' lives.
Sewage spills are a scourge for my residents, and not just in the sea but in the street too. Raw sewage and used toilet roll flooded a street in Southwick recently. What are the Government's plans to force the water companies to upgrade their infrastructure and bring an end to those foul, smelly spills that are blighting the lives of local residents?
My hon. Friend raises an important point. He is a strong campaigner in his constituency against the failings of the water company and the high levels of pollution resulting from the failures of the previous Government, so I know that he is backing the Water (Special Measures) Bill that is working its way through Parliament, and that he will support Sir Jon Cunliffe's commission, as we seek to reset the sector by changing its regulation and governance so that it works better for consumers and the environment.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not provide specific plans or timelines for infrastructure upgrades
Response accuracy
Q5
Partial Answer
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Context
The ban on sand eel fishing and trawling has been subject to a legal challenge. Puffins and other native seabirds are grateful for the protection.
The puffins and other native seabirds in my constituency on the Isle of May were very grateful for the ban on sand eel fishing and trawling, but that ban is now subject to legal challenge. Will the Secretary of State commit to fighting that legal challenge?
The hon. Lady raises an important question. That is a delicate issue because it has been raised by the European Union, but we are absolutely determined to maintain our position.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not commit to fighting legal challenge explicitly
Response accuracy
Q6
Partial Answer
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Context
There was a £300 million underspend in the agriculture budget last year, worth more than £1,400 on average for every single farm holding.
I welcome the record allocation for agriculture in the Budget. However, the simple fact is that that agriculture budget is no good if it stays in the Whitehall coffers. Last year, there was a £300 million underspend in the agriculture budget, worth more than £1,400 on average for every single farm holding in the country. What steps is the Secretary of State taking to guarantee that every single penny of that budget gets to communities such as Lichfield, Burntwood and the villages?
My hon. Friend is absolutely right. It is extraordinary, given all the sound and fury from the Opposition, that they did not even spend the money that was available. This Government will ensure that every penny we have gets to farmers, because we are on the side of British farmers, rather than whipping them up in the kind of irresponsible way that the Conservative party has been doing.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not provide specific steps or mechanisms for full allocation
Response accuracy
Q7
Partial Answer
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Context
Family farms fear closure due to changes in agricultural property relief and business property relief. A carbon border adjustment mechanism is proposed for introduction on 1 January 2027.
Family farms across West Dorset fear closure as a result of the Government's planned changes to agricultural property relief and business property relief, and I urge Ministers to rethink the policy. The Budget also included the announcement of a UK carbon border adjustment mechanism to be introduced on 1 January 2027. That will place a carbon price on goods imported to the UK, including fertiliser. A carbon tax on fertiliser will only increase the cost of production for farmers struggling to compete with cheap imports, and drive up costs for consumers. What assessment has been made of that?
The proposal for a carbon border adjustment mechanism was supported by the previous Government, and we have confirmed it. It is complicated in the way it will work, and it will not affect people before 2027-28. The Liberal Democrats have shown once again that when it comes to environmental issues, they cannot be trusted.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not address the assessment of carbon border adjustment impact on farmers/consumers
Attack
Response accuracy
Q8
Partial Answer
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Context
Residents of Woodborough village face frequent flooding issues. The local flood action group and parish council seek a flood alleviation scheme.
Residents in Woodborough village have faced the devastation of flooding far too many times in recent years. Will my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State therefore work with me, Woodborough flood action group and Woodborough parish council to bring forward a much-needed flood alleviation scheme for that village?
Protecting communities from flooding is a top priority. We have launched the flood resilience taskforce and are investing £2.4 billion over this year and next for improved flood resilience. Another £50 million investment has been announced into internal drainage boards.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not directly address working with Michael Payne or Woodborough flood action group
Response accuracy
Q9
Partial Answer
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Context
The River Lambourn in Newbury had 266 sewage spills last year from storm overflows, harming a rare chalk stream.
Last year, the River Lambourn suffered 266 sewage spills from storm overflows, causing irreversible harm to a rare chalk stream. Will the relevant Minister meet me urgently to discuss plans to address that in Newbury?
I can certainly ensure that the relevant Minister meets the hon. Gentleman. I hope that he will also feed his views into Sir Jon Cunliffe's review, as Sir Jon will be considering catchment-wide approaches.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not confirm an urgent meeting with Lee Dillon
Response accuracy
Q10
Partial Answer
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Context
The question is about the progress in creating three new national forests, with a birthday wish for visiting Macclesfield forest.
Will my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State update the House on progress in creating three new national forests, and, as it is my birthday, may I extend to him an invitation to visit Macclesfield forest in my constituency?
I wish my hon. Friend a very happy birthday, and I join him in celebrating the 75-year anniversary of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949. We will protect access to nature's beauty and set up three new national forests.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not provide an update on creating three new national forests
Response accuracy
Q11
Partial Answer
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Context
In the increasingly volatile world, food security is becoming more important to national resilience.
In our increasingly volatile world, I am sure the Secretary of State will agree that food security is of growing importance to our national resilience. I hope he will commit the new Government to continuing to publish the annual food security index, with the next update coming at next year's farm to fork summit.
We are reviewing data that we can publish and want to be as open and transparent as possible. We will announce precisely how it will operate in due course.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not commit to continuing publication of the annual food security index
Response accuracy
Q12
Partial Answer
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Context
The River Hipper scheme is of huge importance to Chesterfield. Toby Perkins thanks Emma Hardy for coming back about the matter.
I thank the Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Kingston upon Hull West and Haltemprice (Emma Hardy), for coming back to me about the River Hipper scheme, which is of huge importance in my constituency. May I invite her to come to Chesterfield to meet people affected by the flood and see the Holymoorside scheme?
It is always a pleasure to work with my hon. Friend, and I know how passionately he campaigned for his community during the last floods.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not confirm visiting Chesterfield
Response accuracy
Q13
Partial Answer
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Context
The removal of the ringfence around agricultural payments to devolved regions was a point of disagreement. Alistair Carmichael inquires about its purpose.
I congratulate the Secretary of State, and indeed the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on the achievement of the Budget: in 23 years in this House, I have never seen such a degree of unity among farming organisations in their response to it. One point on which there seems to be no disagreement is that the removal of the ringfence around agricultural payments to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is a bad move. Nobody asked for it. Why did the Government do it, and what do they expect to achieve with it?
We have announced the biggest Budget for sustainable farming—£5 billion over the next two years—in history. We believe in devolution and that devolved Administrations should take decisions about their own countries.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not explain why the ringfence was removed or what outcomes were expected
Response accuracy
Q14
Partial Answer
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Context
Chester zoo does important conservation work. Regulatory uncertainty due to delayed publication of new zoo standards affects all zoos.
Chester zoo, in the constituency of my hon. Friend the Member for Chester North and Neston (Samantha Dixon), does important and nationally leading conservation work. Zoos nationwide have faced regulatory uncertainty for nearly three years because of the previous Government's delay in publishing new zoo standards. Will my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State set out when the Department plans to publish the updated version of the standards of modern zoo practice, to drive improvements in animal welfare and provide certainty to those institutions?
I have visited Chester zoo and seen the wonderful work that it does. I will endeavour to write to my hon. Friend to update him on the regulations.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not provide a timeline for publishing updated standards
Response accuracy
Q15
Partial Answer
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Context
The government justified inheritance tax changes for farmers on the basis of avoiding short-term tax advantages.
The Government have justified their inheritance tax changes for farmers on the basis that they are concerned about people gaining short-term tax advantage by buying agricultural land. May I therefore ask whether, instead of the sweeping changes that they made, the Government considered an approach that would limit the IHT exemption to those who could demonstrate that the family farm had been in family ownership for a certain number of years? If that approach was explored, why was it not pursued? If it was not explored, why not?
We have had a lot of debate about this issue, and I am perfectly happy to have discussions with hon. Members about the tax regime in general.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not address whether the approach was considered or why it was not chosen
Response accuracy
Q16
Partial Answer
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Context
A burst water main in Tipton and Wednesbury left 8,000 homes without water for over 12 hours on November 2-3. The response from South Staffs Water was criticized as slow, ineffective, and secretive.
On 2 and 3 November, a massive burst water main in my constituency left 8,000 homes without water for more than 12 hours. The response of the water company, South Staffs Water, was slow, ineffective and secretive. Will the Minister remind South Staffs Water, and all water companies, of their responsibilities to help residents and work with local stakeholders following an incident?
What a tireless champion my hon. Friend has been in campaigning on this issue. She is quite right to feel offended by the poor level of communication she has had from the water company, and I hope that it hears the message loud and clear that water companies need to work with, and communicate more effectively with, Members of Parliament in the areas that they represent.
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Assessment & feedback
The Minister did not remind South Staffs Water or all water companies of their responsibilities explicitly but acknowledged the issue and expressed hope for better communication practices.
Acknowledged Issue But Did Not Give Specific Directions
Response accuracy
Q17
Direct Answer
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John McTernan, an adviser to Tony Blair, stated that farming should be treated like the miners' industry under Margaret Thatcher and that it was an industry the country could do without.
This week, John McTernan, an adviser to Tony Blair, publicly stated that farming should be treated in the same way that Margaret Thatcher treated the miners, and that it was an industry the country could 'do without'. As a farmer, I find this incorrect, offensive and deluded. Does the Minister agree?
Yes.
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Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy