Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Imported Agricultural Goods

Thursday 6 February 2020 · 5 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 5 Partly answered 0 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Ministerial commitment to maintaining high standards of environmental protection, animal welfare, and food safety for imported agricultural goods.
  • Government position is that high standards are already enshrined in law and will be defended in trade negotiations.
  • Plans under consideration to engage closely with farmers and other stakeholders regarding food standards, including the proposal for a food standards commission.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Chi Onwurah Lab Northumbria
Brexit Business & Trade Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Context

The Member asks about the compliance of imported agricultural goods after the transition period and expresses concern over potential unfair competition from American agro-industrial practices.

Question

What her policy is on the compliance of imported agricultural goods with UK (a) animal welfare, (b) environmental and (c) food safety standards after the transition period. Her constituents benefit from small-scale farmers in Northumberland and County Durham who would be devastated by competition from American agriculture with lower standards.

Answer from Theresa Villiers (Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

I can assure the hon. Member that we will not trade away our high standards of environmental protection, animal welfare or food safety. We will make sure that our trade negotiations work for our whole country, including the farmers she mentioned. I met farmers in Northumberland only a few days ago and had those very conversations.

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Q2 Luke Pollard Labour (Co-op) Falmouth and Camborne
Brexit Environment
Context

The Member seeks cross-party support for putting commitments on high environmental, animal welfare and food safety standards into the Agriculture Bill.

Question

On Monday, the Secretary of State heard that she had to put our high environmental standards into law to prevent US agriculture from undercutting them in any trade negotiations. Has she reflected on the fact that there is cross-party support for putting those promises into law and will she do the right thing?

Answer from Theresa Villiers (Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

As I have said, those commitments are already in law, and the Government will defend them in our trade negotiations. There is a cross-party consensus in this House that we value our high standards. We will continue with those high standards; we will not compromise them in trade negotiations.

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Q3 Deidre Brock SNP East Renfrewshire
Brexit Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Context

The Member seeks assurance that US imports will not compromise biosecurity or human health.

Question

How will the Secretary of State ensure that ractopamine-treated pork and turkey meat from the United States stays out of our food chains?

Answer from Theresa Villiers (Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

As I have said, we will ensure that all food coming into this country meets our high sanitary and phytosanitary standards and our high standards of food safety. We will not under any circumstances compromise biosecurity or human health in our trade negotiations.

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Q4 David Duguid Con Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk
Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Context

The Member welcomes the commitment to high food, welfare and health standards but seeks update on plans for a food standards commission.

Question

Can she update the House on what plans there are for a food standards commission, as requested by the National Farmers Union of Scotland?

Answer from Theresa Villiers (Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

I have discussed that with the National Farmers Union, and there is real merit in its proposal. We continue to consider it, but I can assure my hon. Friend and the House that, whatever the mechanism, we will engage very closely with farmers and other stakeholders as we take forward our trade negotiations.

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Q5 Andrew Bridgen Con North West Leicestershire
Brexit Business & Trade Parliamentary Procedure
Context

The Member seeks assurance that scrutiny opportunities will be provided for any effect of trade deals on food standards.

Question

Can my right hon Friend put the House at ease and confirm that any trade agreement will have to be ratified under the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 and that this House will therefore have a full opportunity to scrutinise any effect of trade deals on our food standards?

Answer from Theresa Villiers (Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

I can; this House will be involved in scrutiny of our trade negotiations, and I look forward to having those debates with hon. Members.

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