Commons Sense

House of Commons · Westminster Hall

Welsh Food: Protected Status

15 December 2020 · 3 other contributors · 2,495 words

Opened by Virginia Crosbie Con Ynys Môn

Responding minister: Victoria Prentis

BrexitAgriculture & Rural Affairs

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Virginia Crosbie raised concerns about welsh food: protected status in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.

Key points

  • Virginia Crosbie highlights the importance of Anglesey's agricultural industry in contributing to the Welsh food sector and its economic impact.
  • Crosbie requests the Minister to confirm ongoing investment in the UK's new geographical indication scheme to support food producers post-Brexit.
  • The Minister acknowledges the significance of Wales in the UK's protected food and drink sector, noting the launch of the UK GI schemes on 1 January.

Key requests to Government

Crosbie asks the Minister to confirm continued investment in the new UK geographical indication scheme. She also requests that her Department collaborates closely with the Department for International Trade to support food producers and bring meaningful benefits post-Brexit.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Virginia Crosbie Con Ynys Môn

Virginia Crosbie is concerned about the future of Welsh food and protected status post-Brexit. She highlights that Anglesey's agricultural industry plays a crucial role in feeding Wales, with significant contributions from farmers such as Gwilym Williams and Will Edwards. The constituency has a long history of producing high-quality food, exemplified by events like the Anglesey County Show which attracts visitors for its diverse range of Welsh products. She mentions that Welsh businesses have achieved a turnover of more than £22 billion in the hospitality and food sector, with 10 out of the most recent 12 GI applications originating from Wales.

Other contributors (3)
  • Ben Lake PC Ceredigion Preseli

    Congratulated the hon. Member on securing the debate and agreed with her on the importance of protected indicators, raising concerns about applications for Welsh produce such as Gower salt marsh lamb and Cambrian meat being unable to complete the European certification process.

  • James Davies

    Congratulated the hon. Friend on securing the debate and agreed that protected status for food and drink can be a source of great community pride as well as an economic benefit, mentioning the Vale of Clwyd Denbigh plum receiving protected designation of origin status.

  • Nusrat Ghani Con Sussex Weald

    Nusrat Ghani briefly remarked that the debate was getting closer to being relevant.

Government Response

Victoria Prentis

It is a great pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, for the first time, Ms Ghani, and an enormous pleasure to speak in this very important debate. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Ynys Môn (Virginia Crosbie) on securing this debate on a fascinating topic. Wales is home to the UK's highest concentration of protected food and drink products, with a total of 16 protected products. The Government will launch the UK GI schemes on 1 January, ensuring that all existing UK and EU GI products continue to receive protection under the new schemes. All current UK GIs, including Welsh products, will also continue to receive protection in the EU and through future international trade agreements. Overall, the UK's GI products represent about 25% of UK food and drink export value, which was about £6 billion last year.

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