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Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 12 Feb 2019
Environment (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019

"My Lords, in general, this is obviously a sensible regulation. However, I have a number of queries, one of which is exactly the same as that of the noble Baroness, Lady Byford. There are references to redundant and inappropriate regulations, but there is no list, as far as I can …..."
Lord Whitty - View Speech

View all Lord Whitty (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Environment (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019
Written Question
Pest Control
Monday 9th July 2018

Asked by: Lord Whitty (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions ministers have had with organisations promoting non-chemical pest control; and what assessment they have made of progress made in developing forms of non-chemical pest control.

Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble

Ministers have met with a range of organisations to discuss all aspects of the development of farming policy. This includes organisations that promote non-chemical pest control such as organic farming.

“A Green Future”, the Government’s 25 year plan to improve the environment, sets out our plans to protect crops while reducing the environmental impact of pesticides by making Integrated Pest Management (IPM) central to our approach. The key principle of IPM is maximising the use of non-chemical options for pest control. Sustainable biological, physical and other non-chemical methods must be preferred to chemical methods if they provide satisfactory pest control.

Much good work is already taking place to research, develop and promote means to move away from pesticides. This includes: plant breeding for pest-resistant varieties; the use of natural predators; the development of biopesticides; and the use of a variety of cultural methods to reduce pest pressures. We are considering what progress has been made with the development and adoption of non-chemical pest control and what more can be done to overcome barriers to adoption.

Speech in Lords Chamber - Mon 15 Jan 2018
Water Abstraction Regulations

"My Lords, I congratulate my noble friend on raising this issue and on the forensic way in which she approached the analysis of the regulations before us and the history of how we got to this position.

I also thank the noble Baroness, Lady Byford, who was my opposite number …..."
Lord Whitty - View Speech

View all Lord Whitty (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Water Abstraction Regulations
Speech in Lords Chamber - Mon 08 Jan 2018
Brexit: Environmental Enforcement Agency

"My Lords, this will be a powerful new organisation, which I understand will have the ability to fine or otherwise sanction other public bodies. In that case, is it the Government’s intention to produce primary legislation for the introduction of this body or are they still assuming that it will …..."
Lord Whitty - View Speech

View all Lord Whitty (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Brexit: Environmental Enforcement Agency
Written Question
European Environment Agency
Friday 29th December 2017

Asked by: Lord Whitty (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have for future relationships post-Brexit between (1) UK public agencies, and (2) UK industry, and the European Environment Agency.

Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble

Our future relationship with the EU is still to be determined and is the subject of negotiations. As part of Exit negotiations the Government will discuss with the EU and Member States our future status and arrangements with regard to EU bodies, including the European Environment Agency.

Written Question
European Chemicals Agency
Friday 29th December 2017

Asked by: Lord Whitty (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have for future relationships post-Brexit between (1) UK public agencies, and (2) UK industry, and the European Chemicals Agency.

Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble

We are working to ensure a smooth transition for the chemical industry as we leave the EU. As part of the exit negotiations, the Government will discuss with the EU and Member States how best to continue cooperation in the field of chemicals regulation in the best interests of both the UK and the EU. We want to secure a deep and special partnership with the EU, including in relation to the chemicals sector.

Our priority is to maintain an effective regulatory system for the management and control of chemicals to safeguard human health and the environment, respond to emerging risks, and allow trade with the EU that is as frictionless as possible.

Speech in Lords Chamber - Thu 07 Dec 2017
Plans to Improve the Natural Environment and Animal Welfare

"My Lords, I thank the noble Earl for his introduction and for setting out the starkness of the challenge but also the possibilities of our succeeding in it. My intervention will be a little more depressive. I have the terrible feeling that the likely post-Brexit changes in our regulatory structure …..."
Lord Whitty - View Speech

View all Lord Whitty (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Plans to Improve the Natural Environment and Animal Welfare
Speech in Grand Committee - Thu 16 Nov 2017
Farm Support

"My Lords, I also thank the noble Baroness, Lady McIntosh, for initiating this debate. I have five minutes in which to make five points. Contrary to the noble Earl, my first point is: do not rush this. Broadly speaking, the Government have already committed themselves to paying under the present …..."
Lord Whitty - View Speech

View all Lord Whitty (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Farm Support
Speech in Lords Chamber - Mon 06 Nov 2017
Brexit: Non-chemical Farming Methods

"My Lords, over a decade ago, when I was doing the noble Lord’s job, we had a programme of looking at non-chemical ways of doing what pesticides do and improving the method of application. Will the Minister update us? Do the Government still support that work? If so, by how …..."
Lord Whitty - View Speech

View all Lord Whitty (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Brexit: Non-chemical Farming Methods
Speech in Lords Chamber - Thu 02 Nov 2017
Agriculture, Fisheries and the Rural Environment

"My Lords, I thank the noble Earl for this debate and for his wide-ranging introduction. He is of course right to have begun with the real historic importance of this debate: the retirement from this House of the noble Lord, Lord Plumb. I first met the noble Lord, when he …..."
Lord Whitty - View Speech

View all Lord Whitty (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Agriculture, Fisheries and the Rural Environment