Written Question
Thursday 2nd May 2024
Asked by:
Gerald Jones (Labour - Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare)
Question
to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment her Department has made of the impact of the UK's exit from the EU on the cost of exporting food to the EU.
Answered by Mark Spencer
The Trade and Cooperation Agreement provides businesses tariff and quota free access to the EU market, provided that these goods meet ‘Rules of Origin’ requirements.
UK businesses must comply with customs procedures when exporting food. These procedures include Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) border controls as well as technical regulations, standards and conformity assessments. For some food businesses, there may be costs associated with compliance to these procedures. Before the UK left the EU, assessments were made of these costs reflecting a variety of potential trading arrangements with the EU. Work is ongoing to assess these costs now the new trading arrangements under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement are being implemented.
Written Question
Monday 30th January 2023
Asked by:
Gerald Jones (Labour - Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare)
Question
to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she plans to provide a substantive response to the correspondence of 5 November 2022 from the hon. Member for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney, reference MC2022/24200.
Answered by Rebecca Pow
A reply will be sent to the hon. Member in due course.
Written Question
Thursday 28th April 2022
Asked by:
Gerald Jones (Labour - Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare)
Question
to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to tackle food insecurity in the context of increases in the cost of living.
Answered by Baroness Prentis of Banbury
The UK has a high degree of food security. Last year, we published the Food Security Report which includes a section on food security at a household level. The latest statistics point to an increase in household food security between 2019 and 2020. There are undoubtedly going to be pressures on food prices as a result of increased input costs – including gas, fuel and fertiliser. That will have to be passed through the system, but the Government is providing an additional £500 million to help provide targeted cost of living support for households most in need.
Speech in Commons Chamber - Thu 28 Oct 2021
Oral Answers to Questions
"9. What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the adequacy of labour supply for the food and drink sector. ..."Gerald Jones - View Speech
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Thu 28 Oct 2021
Oral Answers to Questions
"Delays and shortages, whether of lorry drivers or butchers, are causing huge concern and anxiety to business owners and consumers alike. Dayle Evans, a landlord and business owner in my constituency, was unable to reopen his pub’s kitchen for eight weeks due to difficulties sourcing produce. As we approach the …..."Gerald Jones - View Speech
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Written Question
Thursday 17th June 2021
Asked by:
Gerald Jones (Labour - Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare)
Question
to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
What funding his Department is providing for the maintenance of flood defences.
Answered by Rebecca Pow
The Government recognises the importance of maintaining flood defence assets. Investment in Environment Agency asset management in England will be £178 million in 2021-22, an increase on the previous year. The Government will continue to review the future requirements for flood defence maintenance investment as part of future Spending Reviews.
Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 04 Mar 2020
Flooding
"The impact of recent floods, particularly associated with Storm Dennis, devastated a number of communities across Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney, but it is often true that in the worst and most difficult of times we see the best of community spirit, and that was certainly the case when local residents …..."Gerald Jones - View Speech
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 24 Feb 2020
Flooding
"Storm Dennis caused huge damage across Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney. Our communities and local people showed amazing resilience, and our local authorities, despite years of Tory austerity, were at the forefront of delivering support. The Welsh Government have offered a fund, yet despite the unprecedented nature of these floods, the …..."Gerald Jones - View Speech
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 03 Feb 2020
Agriculture Bill
"Although the Bill includes some welcome provisions for the future of our farming, including supporting public money for public goods, if the Government are serious about tackling the climate change crisis and putting the environment at the heart of our agriculture industry, they must go much further than this.
According …..."Gerald Jones - View Speech
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Thu 20 Jun 2019
Oral Answers to Questions
"17. As has been said, this House declared a climate emergency on 1 May. In recent weeks, pupils at Abercanaid Community School and Ysgol Rhyd y Grug in my constituency have been in contact with me to urge this Parliament to do all that we can to address the climate …..."Gerald Jones - View Speech
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