Key Facts

• Amendment 4 seeks to establish baseline welfare standards for livestock in order to receive financial support.
• Recipients must achieve or commit to achieving higher welfare standards than the minimum legal requirements.
• The amendment includes provisions against certain procedures, killing methods, and exporting practices.
• Definitions are provided for terms like 'fattening', 'humane', 'livestock', and 'IP completion day'.
• Funding could be made available to farmers achieving intact tails in pigs.
• For laying hens, funding can support best free range systems with low stocking density and flock size.
• Broiler chickens stocked at 38 kg per square metre have high levels of infectious pathogens and mortality.
• Around 20% of UK dairy cows are zero grazed and kept indoors throughout the year.
• Calves and sheep are primarily exported from England.
• Previous calf journeys via Ireland have lasted up to 135 hours.
• Only one British sheep in 300 is involved in the live export trade for slaughter.
• In 2017, only 1.5% of British calves were involved in the export trade for fattening.
• The Government has a manifesto commitment to end excessively long journeys for animals going for slaughter or fattening.
• A consultation on this issue is planned for spring.
• Victoria Prentis reassures the House that there are no plans for payments to farmers for achieving basic welfare standards.
• Daniel Zeichner is discussing concerns about the Agriculture Bill's provisions.
• The amendment would restrict what can be included in new schemes before industry consultation.
• Amendment 42 relates to improved health of national livestock from 2022 to 2023.
• Amendment 44 aims to place a 5% limit on the amount of financial assistance spent on administration or consultancy.
• The amendment seeks to establish protections against administrative costs overwhelming the budget for financial assistance schemes.
• Daniel Zeichner is probing into the clarity and transparency regarding funding sources, costs, and regulatory measures for these schemes.
• The Government pledges to guarantee farming budgets for each year of Parliament separately from administration funding.
• Administration costs will vary greatly between schemes.
• DEFRA will publish annual financial reports on scheme expenditure, potentially including breakdowns of administrative and consultancy costs.
• Public funds must be used wisely according to Treasury guidelines.
• Amendments 49 and 50 aim to prevent financial assistance for land used for hunting or on which offences have been committed under the Hunting Act.
• The National Wildlife Crime Unit has only 12 staff members covering UK operations.
• A poll found that only one in six rural residents believe hunting with dogs reflects countryside values.
• The Hunting Act 2004 banned hunting with dogs in England and Wales 15 years ago.
• There are still 299 hunts active across Britain today.
• Amendments would prevent financial assistance to land used for hunting or on which an offence under the Hunting Act has been committed.
• Daniel Zeichner addresses whether public money should support hunting.
• The discussion revolves around the Hunting Act 2004 and its exemptions for certain activities like pest control.
• Concerns are raised about limiting financial assistance to farmers who engage in legal but controversial practices.
• New clause 18 requires regulations for training, guidance and advice to those receiving financial assistance.
• New clause 23 mandates consultation prior to framing financial assistance schemes or preparing multi-annual financial assistance plans.
• New clause 24 specifies that consultation must occur before financial assistance is given.
• Daniel Zeichner highlights concerns about new clauses affecting advisory services and consultation requirements.
• Victoria Prentis argues against rigid consultation requirements that could hinder quick responses to environmental issues like diseases or pests.
• The government aims for a flexible but reasonable approach to consultation in line with Cabinet Office principles.
• Daniel Zeichner acknowledges the Minister's point about swift action but emphasizes the importance of community involvement.
• Local councils are seen as an 'unused asset' with valuable local knowledge.
• The Minister concedes that the budget will not come from direct payments, raising questions about funding and resources.
• Previous evidence shows that access to advisers significantly improves environmental scheme success.
• The previous system was extremely complicated, based on a 139-page document.
• There is uncertainty about how ELMS will be paid for and distributed.
• Zeichner proposes new clause 18 to include training guidance in the Bill.
• Three major environmental Bills are currently being debated in Parliament.
• The Agriculture Bill includes a clause that covers a seven-year agricultural transition period.
• Subsequent plans will run for at least five years with a duty to ensure replacement plans are in place.
• The Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) has functions to scrutinise the Government’s environmental commitments under the Environment Bill.
• The Bill's proposed seven-year transition period is seen as too long by some constituents.
• Conservation organisations share concerns over the prioritisation of public funding for different schemes.
• New clause 2 requires annual reporting on financial assistance given or allocated, including sufficiency to meet policy objectives and the Secretary of State’s intentions if funding is insufficient.
• The UK spent about £3 billion on the common agricultural policy as EU members.
• Leaving the European Union has resulted in a transition period where funds are being diverted to deliver public goods.
• Annual budget determination by the Council of Ministers provided influence and say for the UK while it was an EU member.
• Clause 1 of the Bill outlines aspirations without clear financial allocation.
• Transparency allows people to see how money is spent locally through DEFRA statistics.
• Lord Whitty made moves in the past to increase transparency under the CAP.
• The NFU believes time is running out with less than a year left before necessary legislation must be in place.
• There are concerns about potential gaps between current schemes and future effective support systems.
• The Minister acknowledges the flexibility to extend the transition period if unforeseen exceptional conditions arise.
• Goodwill broke his golden rule of not intruding on successor's policy areas for at least 12 months.
• The Opposition criticized the government for delay but were part of causing it.
• There are already good stewardship schemes in place delivering environmental objectives.