Scheduled Event -
12 Feb 2026, 1:30 p.m.
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Commons -
Westminster Hall debate - Westminster Hall
Select Committee Statement on the Fifth Report of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, UK-EU agritrade: making an SPS agreement work, HC 1661
MP: Alistair CarmichaelSpeech in Commons Chamber - Thu 12 Feb 2026 Rural Mobile Connectivity
"It would be wrong to let this moment pass without reflecting on the fact that EE has its network of masts as a result of significant public investment, because it got the contract for the emergency services network. Does that not impose a duty on it to do more than …..." Alistair Carmichael - View Speech
"The hon. Gentleman knows my views on this; in fact, I have touched on them already. I think it is absolutely essential. It is to the benefit of everybody that those responsible for the negotiations have the fullest understanding of the views in Parliament, out there in the production sector—CropLife …..." Alistair Carmichael - View Speech
"I thank the hon. Gentleman for his question. I welcome him formally to the Committee and thank him for his contribution to its proceedings. We benefited from our time at the John Innes Centre, and it is not a subject of any controversy to say that the Committee was very …..." Alistair Carmichael - View Speech
"The hon. Lady is absolutely right. She was on the Committee when we heard from the Swiss representatives in Brussels, and they were successful over a rather longer negotiation period. I give credit to the Prime Minister for having created a political environment in which a negotiated agreement this year …..." Alistair Carmichael - View Speech
"On any objective analysis, it is very important that we get this right, and we can get it right by doing it slowly and carefully. The hon. Member for Bridlington and The Wolds (Charlie Dewhirst)—the lobster capital of Europe—referenced the report from CropLife UK. The report seeks to quantify the …..." Alistair Carmichael - View Speech
"If our ultimate destination were re-entry, whether by the back door or front door, I suspect that the hon. Gentleman and I might struggle to find a common position. Let us be clear what we are dealing with. An SPS agreement is tightly drawn, and is about our food producers …..." Alistair Carmichael - View Speech
"Thank you, Ms Jardine. It is, as ever, an inestimable pleasure to serve under your stewardship in Westminster Hall. May I place on record my appreciation of the Backbench Business Committee for granting time for me to make a statement to mark the publication of our Committee’s fifth report of …..." Alistair Carmichael - View Speech
"Has the Minister had the opportunity to consider the report by the Andersons Centre for CropLife UK? It estimates that if a sanitary and phytosanitary agreement with the European Union was implemented without a suitable implementation period, it could result in steep drops in UK crop production and a total …..." Alistair Carmichael - View Speech