Trade Barriers: Food and Farming

Question

What progress her Department has made on tackling trade barriers for British food and farming businesses. I am concerned about the impact of these barriers on our exporters and want to know what specific actions have been taken to resolve them.

Question

May I take this opportunity to welcome my hon. Friend to his post, and to associate myself with his remarks regarding today's commemoration of the holocaust? My hon. Friend, as a fellow Aberdeenshire Member of Parliament, will be aware of the concerns raised by seed potato growers in Aberdeenshire about the EU's intransigence in not allowing the same standard of seed potatoes that had been available to meet demand across the continent. What is the Department doing either to resolve this issue or find new markets?

Question

The number of food and farming businesses in my constituency is not high, but none the less they are really important. They include Backyard Brewhouse, a craft brewery. British farming is renowned for its high-quality produce, so what is my hon. Friend's Department doing to take advantage of this and do all it can to promote our exceptional British produce?

Question

What more is my hon. Friend hoping to deliver to ensure that our great British produce carries “Brand Britain,” through national and regional UK geographical indicators to an international stage in existing and future free trade arrangements?

Question

Tapadh leibh, Mr Speaker. As we have heard, trade barriers are a problem for seed potato growers. The biggest change that a Government could introduce to get rid of these and help the UK economy would be to rejoin the customs union and single market. How much do the Government care about the UK economy?

Question

British farmers could lose up to £148 million-worth of growth owing to the New Zealand trade deal, according to a report by the International Trade Committee. A report by DEFRA said that British farmers could lose out on up to £278 million-worth of growth owing to the Australia trade deal. What is the Minister going to do to address those huge potential losses?

Question

If you want to enter into the Christmas spirit, Mr Speaker, I would recommend a dram of Dalmore, Glenmorangie, Balblair, Clynelish or Old Pulteney. The highland single malts are widely recognised as the best whiskies in the world. Will he make sure that sales of those whiskies are pushed very strongly?

Question

According to the Centre for Business Prosperity, more than 40% of products such as shellfish and seed potatoes are no longer exported to European markets, for want of a veterinary agreement with the EU—yet the Government do nothing. I know that exports in ex-Prime Ministers' speeches have increased recently, thanks to the efforts of Ministers, but why will they not act now to negotiate a veterinary agreement, which would be transformational for British farmers, thousands of British businesses and the British food industry in particular?

Question

The New Zealand trade deal will mean an expected £150 million hit to agriculture and food-related industries each year. An impact analysis shows that the Australia trade deal will mean an expected £94 million hit to farming and a £225 million hit to food processing each year. On top of that, UK food and drink exports to the EU have already fallen, despite what the Minister says, by more than £1.3 billion, because of the Brexit deal that this Government signed. Given that mounting charge sheet, how can farmers and food producers in this country ever again trust a word that the Tories say?

Question

I think Aberdeenshire farmers will take that with a large pinch of salt. The Secretary of State says that she is a huge believer in British farming and the role it plays in our national life. She wrote an article a few years ago on fears about the impact of opening up our markets on domestic producers such as farmers. In the light of all that, how long does the Minister seriously think it will be before he and his colleagues trigger the mechanisms to bring an end to these disastrous trade deals with Australia and New Zealand?