Commons Sense

House of Commons · Westminster Hall

Trade And Farming Standards In Uk Australia Deal

21 July 2021 · 0 other contributors · 702 words

Opened by Neil Parish Con Tiverton and Honiton

Responding minister: Not recorded

Business & TradeAgriculture & Rural Affairs

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Neil Parish raised concerns about trade and farming standards in uk australia deal in Westminster Hall. Response awaited from government.

Key points

  • There is a lack of coordination between the Government's trade policy and food and farming policy.
  • British farmers face raising environmental and animal welfare standards while experiencing reductions in basic payments.
  • Concerns exist over allowing imports from Australia that do not meet UK standards for practices like mulesing and chlorine-washed chickens.

Key requests to Government

The Government must define minimum standards for trade and establish a mechanism to protect them before negotiating deals that will allow hundreds of thousands of tonnes of Australian agriproducts into the country. The non-regression clause on animal welfare standards needs clarification.

How the debate unfolded

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

Opened the debate

Neil Parish Con Tiverton and Honiton

There is a lack of joined-up thinking between the Government's trade policy and their food and farming policy. British farmers are being told to raise environmental and animal welfare standards while basic payments are reduced, potentially allowing them to be undercut by foreign suppliers with lower standards. The practice of mulesing sheep, battery cages for egg-laying hens, chlorine-washed chickens, long cattle transport journeys, and the use of organophosphate dips in Australia are concerning as they do not meet UK standards.

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