Topical Questions

Question

I am concerned about our departmental responsibilities. Today, we launched the net zero strategy alongside the nature markets framework. Can you provide a statement on these responsibilities?

Question

We are proud of the Canal & River Trust's presence in Ellesmere Port. However, it has been struggling with increasing costs related to covid and energy. It is waiting for an answer from the Government about grant funding. Can you give us a date by which a decision will be made and guarantee no cuts to its grant funding?

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Insect protein is increasingly being pushed on social media as an alternative food, despite concerns about contamination. Will you outline how the Government intends to label this type of protein so that consumers can make informed decisions?

Question

Last night, Abi Kay of Farmers Weekly posted a piece detailing allegations of major fraud in the meat processing sector. The investigation revealed that huge quantities of foreign pork were being passed off as British. We had hoped for a statement from Ministers this morning to reassure the public. In the absence of that, can you tell us what action is being taken and how often you have met with representatives of the meat processing sector in the last month?

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Some people want to buy halal and kosher meat while others do not. Will the Government ensure that such meat must be properly labelled at the point of sale, so consumers can make informed decisions?

Question

Earlier this week, I provided statistics: the Dogs Trust alone has cared for 250,000 illegally imported puppies. If sold, these would net criminals £3 million. Over 40,000 people have written to the Government asking them to pass the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill. How many more days will they have to wait for a response?

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Will the Minister explore with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities the implications for national parks of proposals to extend permitted development rights to pop-up campsites?

Question

Wakefield suffers from the second and third most polluted rivers in England. It is clear that the Government are all talk, as there is no dedicated attention given to this crisis despite reports that the Environment Agency still does not have a full-time team dealing with it. Can you provide a timeline for when this will change?

Question

I was appalled to read in this week's Farmers Weekly that food labelled as British has actually come from South America or even Africa, and that meat not fit for human consumption has been going into the food chain. The Food Standards Agency's report makes it clear that it has been misled and hoodwinked by these operators. Is there a case to bring the FSA within DEFRA rather than the Department of Health and Social Care, where it is now?

Question

When my constituents do their food shopping they are faced with price increases of between 10% and 15%, or even more, compared with last year. But farmers in my consistency are certainly not getting paid 10% or 15% more for their produce—they are lucky to even get paid the same as last year. If the farmers who produce the food are getting ripped off, and the customers who eat the food are getting ripped off, who is doing the ripping off? What are the Government going to do to stop it?

Question

Welcome support for farmers in Dorset and across the country would be for the Department and Government as a whole to learn the lessons on trade deals, as pointed out by the Secretary of State's predecessor but one, my right hon. Friend the Member for Camborne and Redruth (George Eustice). Can the Secretary of State set out the discussions that she has with Ministers about trade deals, to ensure that UK farmers' interests, food production and security are at the heart of the discussions?

Question

I know the Government and the Minister, in particular, take a deep interest in fisheries issues, specifically about spurdog fishing; I asked the Minister a question about that some time ago. Will the Minister confirm that the total allowable catch for spurdog will be announced? That will create a significant boost for all local fisheries, especially those in Northern Ireland.