argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
Native Species and Wildlife — House of Commons, 2021-06-17
Topic: Agriculture
Rebecca Faye Clark (Pow) (Conservative, Centre-right): I knew that my right hon. Friend was going to mention beavers, of which he is a great champion. As he knows, we are to consult on the reintroduction of beavers this summer. There are myriad benefits, but we must also look carefully at the management and mitigations that might be needed My right hon. Friend raises an important point about our precious agricultural land. I absolutely reassure him that we on the Government Benches are working hand in glove so that not only do all our new schemes deliver for nature but we can produce the sustainable food in this country that we want. This morning, I went to New Covent Garden market, where I saw a whole lot of our British produce. There were a lot of imports, but a lot of great British fruit and vegetables, and particularly flowers—it is British Flowers Week. Government Members are absolutely supportive of not only productive agriculture but recovering nature.
Native Species and Wildlife — House of Commons, 2021-06-17
Topic: Environment
Rebecca Faye Clark (Pow) (Conservative, Centre-right): I welcome the hon. Lady to her place. This is the first time that we have had questions in the Chamber together This is a tremendous commitment by the Government to halt the decline of nature by 2030. No other country has done anything like this, so we are totally committed to the target. All the framework that we are putting in place will build towards this nature recovery: our local nature recovery strategies; our national nature recovery strategies; our 30% of land and sea protected; our 10 new large-scale landscape recovery schemes; and the entire environmental land management system. I could go on and on. I do not think that I could reiterate more the Government’s commitment to that. We will be consulting on the exact detail of the target in 2022, along with all the other targets in the Environment Bill.
Food and Drink Manufacturing Sector: Competitiveness — House of Commons, 2021-06-17
Topic: Agriculture
Andrew John Stevenson (Conservative, Centre-right): What steps he is taking to help ensure the competitiveness of the food and drink manufacturing sector. As the Minister knows, the food and drinks manufacturing sector is the largest in this country, employing more than 400,000 people directly. It is a major innovator and exporter. My concern is that the sector may get too much red tape and regulation. If we look at the obesity strategy, for example, there could be a lot of regulation with very little gain. Can she reassure me that there will be proper scrutiny of any legislation, and that the minimum burdens will be put on this sector, which is vital to our economy?
Trade Deal with Australia: British Food Standards — House of Commons, 2021-06-17
Topic: Foreign Trade
Charles George Eustice (Conservative, Centre-right): I have had regular discussions with the Secretary of State at the Department for International Trade and, indeed, other Cabinet colleagues on the issue of food standards in the context of our negotiations with Australia. The UK has a prohibition on the sale of beef treated with hormones, and the agreement recognises our right to regulate in this way.
Trade Deal with Australia: British Food Standards — House of Commons, 2021-06-17
Topic: Foreign Trade
Charles George Eustice (Conservative, Centre-right): The Secretary of State for International Trade will, I think, be giving a statement later. The Government have now published the key components of the agreement in principle, and some analysis of the impacts of this agreement has already been cited. Australia is a very important partner of ours, and it is important that we get a trade agreement with it. It is, of course, a smaller economy and the opportunities are therefore not as large as they would be with a larger economy, but nevertheless, Australia is an important ally and this is a good agreement between us.
Trade Deal with Australia: British Food Standards — House of Commons, 2021-06-17
Topic: Agriculture
Charles George Eustice (Conservative, Centre-right): We secured some important mitigations to help the farming industry, including the fact that a tariff rate quota will stay in place for the first 10 years on both beef and sheep, and for the subsequent five years there will be a special agricultural safeguard that means that if volumes go above a certain trigger, tariffs immediately snap back in. We have put in place mitigations through the quota for the first 10 years and through that safeguard.
Horse Tethering — House of Commons, 2021-06-17
Topic: Agriculture
Victoria Mary Boswell Prentis (Conservative, Centre-right): The current legislation and guidance provides the right safeguards and powers in respect of horse tethering. The code of practice for the welfare of horses, ponies, donkeys and their hybrids provides information on acceptable standards of tethering. We want every owner to follow that guidance.
Horse Tethering — House of Commons, 2021-06-17
Topic: Agriculture
Robert Henry Halfon (Conservative, Centre-right): In my beautiful constituency of Harlow, we sadly see many horses tethered by the roadside and in dangerous locations. These horses often have no water and are left for days on end. Sometimes the tether breaks, causing danger for the horses and passing cars. Will my hon. Friend consider introducing not only tougher measures to penalise individuals who mistreat their horses and break the code of practice for the welfare of horses, ponies, donkeys and their hybrids, but a mandatory duty on local councils to implement a licensing system to ensure that horses are monitored and receive regular vet checks, and that the highest animal welfare standards are upheld?
Horse Tethering — House of Commons, 2021-06-17
Topic: Agriculture
Victoria Mary Boswell Prentis (Conservative, Centre-right): My right hon. Friend, from his beautiful constituency, has long campaigned on this important issue. People who mistreat their horses face prosecution under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. The good news is that the maximum penalty under the Act increases this month to five years’ imprisonment. Anyone who has concerns about inappropriate tethering should report the matter to their local authority. Local authorities have powers under the 2006 Act to take action where a horse is suffering.
Agricultural Sector: Labour Supply — House of Commons, 2021-06-17
Topic: Labor
Victoria Mary Boswell Prentis (Conservative, Centre-right): The Secretary of State is working actively on this issue and had a meeting with several representatives of the ornamentals sector only yesterday to discuss it. We are working hard across Government to address these worker shortages. I am working with the Department for Work and Pensions to promote picking and to support the horticultural sector, as well as to recruit more UK workers. Automation will be at least some of the solution to this issue, and we are actively promoting new technologies.
Leaving the EU: Agriculture and the Food Industry — House of Commons, 2021-06-17
Topic: Agriculture
Charles George Eustice (Conservative, Centre-right): Farm incomes are heavily influenced by exchange rates, and in the aftermath of the 2016 referendum there was an immediate boost to farm profitability and that has remained the case since. For the first time in 50 years, we are also free to create an independent agriculture policy that works for our own farmers. Our future agriculture policy will support farmers to farm sustainably, to make space for nature in the farmed landscape, and to improve their profitability.
Leaving the EU: Agriculture and the Food Industry — House of Commons, 2021-06-17
Topic: Agriculture
Peter William Bone (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank the most excellent Secretary of State for that response. Is he as fed up as I am with doom and gloom from those on the Opposition Benches when our farmers do such a good job? Coming out of the EU allows them to turbocharge their exports. Get rid of that lot and concentrate on the good stuff that we are doing.
Leaving the EU: Agriculture and the Food Industry — House of Commons, 2021-06-17
Topic: Agriculture
Charles George Eustice (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend makes a very important point. British agriculture in many sectors is world-beating, world-leading, competes internationally and can export internationally. We will be announcing plans to increase the support that we offer to exporters, and there are important opportunities for our goods in some of the Asian markets.
UK-Australia Trade Deal — House of Commons, 2021-06-17
Topic: Agriculture
Charles George Eustice (Conservative, Centre-right): As part of the agreement with Australia, we secured a special agricultural safeguard, which has a strict automatic volume trigger. It means that for the first 10 years, Australian beef and lamb will be subject to a tariff rate quota, and for the subsequent five years it will be subject to a special agricultural safeguard with a volume trigger.
UK-Australia Trade Deal — House of Commons, 2021-06-17
Topic: Foreign Trade
Charles George Eustice (Conservative, Centre-right): The Department for International Trade has a number of groups, including one covering agri-food, that discuss the approach to trade deals and help the Department to identify priorities. Necessarily, when in the final stages of a negotiation, the mandate the Government have is kept confidential, otherwise it would undermine our negotiating position, but we do share as much as we are able to with stakeholders, including the National Farmers Union.
UK-Australia Trade Deal — House of Commons, 2021-06-17
Topic: Foreign Trade
Charles George Eustice (Conservative, Centre-right): We have to look at this in the context of the fact that at the moment Australia does not sell us any of these goods because, in the case of beef, it has a minuscule tariff rate quota of only about 1,400 tonnes. We also have to look at it in the context of the fact that we already have a TRQ with New Zealand that is over 100,000 tonnes, and New Zealand does not fill that quota.
Shark Fins: Ban on Imports — House of Commons, 2021-06-17
Topic: Agriculture
Victoria Mary Boswell Prentis (Conservative, Centre-right): As we set out in the recently published action plan for animal welfare, we will be bringing forward legislation to ban the import and export of detached shark fins. DEFRA has been working closely with the Home Office and Border Force officials. We need enforceable legislation that will lead other nations to join us in banning this dreadful trade.
Shark Fins: Ban on Imports — House of Commons, 2021-06-17
Topic: Environment
Victoria Mary Boswell Prentis (Conservative, Centre-right): We are in the process of preparing the legislation at the moment. I would be very willing to meet the hon. Gentleman on the detailed wording of how we do this. We are making good progress. We need to make sure that our measures are as effective as possible in delivering shark conservation measures globally.
UK Fishing Industry — House of Commons, 2021-06-17
Topic: Agriculture
Victoria Mary Boswell Prentis (Conservative, Centre-right): The seafood sector has faced significant challenges over the past 18 months, but the situation is now improving as hospitality opens up and we adapt to new export requirements. Sector support worth £32.7 million is available this year, plus an additional £100 million to help rejuvenate the industry and our coastal communities.
UK Fishing Industry — House of Commons, 2021-06-17
Topic: Agriculture
Christopher Lionel John Loder (Conservative, Centre-right): Seafarers UK conducted a report in 2019 that found that most small-scale fishermen often had few savings and reduced financial resilience even before covid, and many have fallen through the gaps of Government funding because they either changed vessels or because their fishing opportunities and earnings in 2019 were not enough to reach the threshold for the fisheries response fund. What steps can the Minister take to address this issue and to support the small fishing boats in my constituency in Lyme Bay?
UK Fishing Industry — House of Commons, 2021-06-17
Topic: Agriculture
Victoria Mary Boswell Prentis (Conservative, Centre-right): That excellent report, which I was very pleased to provide a foreword to, highlights that small-scale fishermen face not only financial challenges but social pressures. The report’s recommendations point to where industry and the Government might tackle these challenges together, and we are currently considering these in more detail.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2021-06-17
Topic: Environment
Charles George Eustice (Conservative, Centre-right): Today is Clean Air Day. The recent coroner’s inquest into the tragic death of Ella Kissi-Debrah highlighted the importance of making progress on delivering clean air. The Government are working on a new targets framework for air quality and a range of policies to improve air quality, and in particular to reduce particulate matter. We will also do more to raise awareness of the risks of air quality in our urban areas.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2021-06-17
Topic: Environment
Charles George Eustice (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Gentleman makes an important point. The Government are clear that we will consult on a ban on horticultural peat, and we will shortly bring forward the legislation that will implement a new ban on the burning of heather on blanket bog. It is our intention to treble the rate of peatland restoration, for all the reasons he said.[Official Report, 21 June 2021, Vol. 697, c. 8MC.]
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2021-06-17
Topic: Environment
David Anthony Evennett (Conservative, Centre-right): My borough of Bexley is one of the greenest in London, with great parks and open space. Will my right hon. Friend explain what action is being taken to increase the number of trees planted in urban areas?
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2021-06-17
Topic: Environment
Charles George Eustice (Conservative, Centre-right): My right hon. Friend makes an important point. The Government set out proposals in our recent England tree strategy. There will be a new urban tree challenge fund and a new treescapes fund for local authorities, and of course our policy of biodiversity net gain absolutely intends to make space for nature in new developments, which will including tree planting.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2021-06-17
Topic: Agriculture
Charles George Eustice (Conservative, Centre-right): Ministers never comment on reshuffle speculation, particularly when it is about oneself. In the context of fishing, we recently got an agreement with the EU on how to approach shared stocks for the remainder of this year. We of course got an increase in quota of around 25%, with 15% of that coming this year, and we have deployed that to almost double the fishing opportunities for our inshore fleet in this year.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2021-06-17
Topic: Environment
Charles George Eustice (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend makes a very important point. Our peat habitats are vital for our biodiversity, can be a vitally important carbon store and can also help with both drought and flood risk mitigation. We will be dramatically increasing the funds available for peatland restoration. I or one of my ministerial colleagues would of course be delighted to visit his constituency in the High Peak and see some of the work being done there.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2021-06-17
Topic: Agriculture
Charles George Eustice (Conservative, Centre-right): We are dramatically increasing the rate of peatland restoration to get to 35,000 hectares by the end of this Parliament. It will be a big feature of the landscape recovery component of our future agriculture policy. We have great ambitions to see the natural hydrology of our deep peat habitats restored.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2021-06-17
Topic: Law and Crime
Richard Quentin Fuller (Conservative, Centre-right): Fly-tipping is a blight on rural areas. Central Bedfordshire alone issued 400 penalty notices last year, but with the fine only being £400—frequently discounted—it is treated really as just a cost of doing business if someone gets caught, does my right hon. Friend agree that the fine is too low? What other efforts can he take to improve deterrence?
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2021-06-17
Topic: Environment
Charles George Eustice (Conservative, Centre-right): This issue is very much the subject of debate in the Environment Bill, which is currently going through both Houses of Parliament. We will be setting targets for clean air, and we will also be looking at a population exposure target, since it is not just about the absolute levels of particulate matter—we want to continue to reduce those—but about looking at the issue of population exposure, too.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2021-06-17
Topic: Foreign Trade
Ian Richard Peregrine Liddell-Grainger (Conservative, Centre-right): The Secretary of State is fully aware that we have an issue at the moment with customs. West Somerset Garden Centre in Minehead, which is at the far end of most supply chains, is getting a lot of these articulated lorries from across Europe, and they start their drop in Minehead, which means that customs forms are done in Minehead for the whole load, regardless of whether only a third of it is coming off there. The other problem is that when these plant trays come off—the Secretary of State knows what I am talking about—even if only three of those plants are coming off in Minehead, the rest still have to go through the customs rigmarole there. The customs officers either do not get to Minehead or do not know where it is, and there is a huge problem with this, as the Secretary of State is aware. We need an answer to this fairly quickly, because the paperwork is swamping a small garden centre in Somerset.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2021-06-17
Topic: Agriculture
Charles George Eustice (Conservative, Centre-right): Under the provisions that we have to ratify treaties, of course this House will have the ability to decline to ratify any treaty, including this particular one. On the issue of animal welfare, it is the case that we have a chapter on animal welfare co-operation. Of course, we will be seeking to address some of the welfare deficiencies in Australia and, for instance, to get it to follow New Zealand’s lead on the issue of mulesing. It is also important to recognise that this agreement does not cover pork and poultry, on which its standards also have problematic approaches.
Restoration and Renewal: Procurement Opportunities — House of Commons, 2021-06-17
Topic: Labor
Sally-Ann Hart (Conservative, Centre-right): The restoration and renewal programme will cost billions, but at the same time it will employ thousands of British people. The Sponsor Body is required to procure and manage the contractors and supply chain. Does my right hon. Friend agree that, in doing so, it can help towards delivering the Government’s levelling-up agenda by ensuring that businesses, contractors and so on from our more deprived socioeconomic areas across the UK have real equality of opportunity to access the variety of employment opportunities afforded by the programme?
Families and Marriages: Support from the Church — House of Commons, 2021-06-17
Topic: Social Welfare
Andrew Edmund Armstrong Selous (Conservative, Centre-right): Both archbishops are very committed to strengthening families and marriages across the country, which is why they have launched their commission on families and households to see what greater support the Church can provide in this vital area of our national life.
Families and Marriages: Support from the Church — House of Commons, 2021-06-17
Topic: Social Welfare
Andrew Edmund Armstrong Selous (Conservative, Centre-right): I am grateful for the hon. Lady’s question. Like her, I am a great fan of family hubs. The families and households commission will be looking carefully at how family hubs can help families to flourish and how churches could be involved in this important work.
Rewilding in New Tenancy Agreements — House of Commons, 2021-06-17
Topic: Environment
Andrew Edmund Armstrong Selous (Conservative, Centre-right): I commend the hon. Lady’s continued focus on this vital area. Our new farm business tenancies strongly encourage good environmental practice, such as ensuring that watercourses are kept clear, hedgerows are well maintained and topsoil is preserved. We are reviewing tenancy obligations as our new environmental strategy is developed.
Voter Registration: Principal Residence and Secondary Address — House of Commons, 2021-06-17
Topic: Government Operations
Steven John Baker (Conservative, Centre-right): I am very grateful for that answer. Of course, this is a problem we have seen in Wycombe. I have seen evidence of it, which is why I raise it. On the point about a single national database, the House will remember that we had this conversation in relation to the NHS track and trace app. As a software engineer, may I, through the hon. Member, encourage the Electoral Commission to take the advice of expert software engineers on how such uniqueness could be assured on registrations without having a single national database?
Church Estates: Rewilding, Tree-planting and Sustainable Farming — House of Commons, 2021-06-17
Topic: Environment
Andrew Edmund Armstrong Selous (Conservative, Centre-right): Ahead of the new environmental land management schemes, we are undertaking a natural capital audit across our rural holdings. The report, which is expected later this year, will include a review of woodland management and new tree planting, including riparian planting.
Church Estates: Rewilding, Tree-planting and Sustainable Farming — House of Commons, 2021-06-17
Topic: Environment
Andrew Edmund Armstrong Selous (Conservative, Centre-right): There was a lot there, but I will do my best. I can tell the hon. Lady that, of the 184,000 acres we own in total, 92,000 acres are timber, but she is right that there is more to do. I will be attending the Groundswell conference next week, as will some members of the Church Commissioners, along with a number of Environment Ministers, and we are very conscious of the important issues that she raises.
Investment in Companies: Transparency and Low Carbon Economy — House of Commons, 2021-06-17
Topic: Environment
Andrew Edmund Armstrong Selous (Conservative, Centre-right): The commissioners have a long history of leveraging their position as an investor to increase transparency and to make sure that companies are Paris-aligned—most recently, with ExxonMobil. The commissioners’ work alongside other investors can often play a leading role in organisations such as Climate Action 100+, the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment and the Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change.
Investment in Companies: Transparency and Low Carbon Economy — House of Commons, 2021-06-17
Topic: Environment
Andrew Edmund Armstrong Selous (Conservative, Centre-right): All parts of the Church are absolutely committed to reaching net zero. The Church will shortly be meeting Environment Ministers to see what more we can do together, and our ethical investing has won a number of awards in that area.
Net Zero Target — House of Commons, 2021-06-17
Topic: Energy
Andrew Edmund Armstrong Selous (Conservative, Centre-right): I am delighted to be able to tell my hon. Friend that the diocese of Exeter has just received a £1 million grant from the Church for its Growing the Rural Church project. She could encourage local churches to join the Eco Church scheme and suggest that they move to a renewable electricity supplier. For those fit enough to cycle to church, she might ask them about where bikes could be left securely during services.