Written Question
Wednesday 10th December 2014
Asked by:
Guy Opperman (Conservative - Hexham)
Question
to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to support the UK dairy industry.
Answered by George Eustice
The Government understands the concerns of British dairy farmers over the current pressures caused by the price volatility of the global market. I brought forward a meeting of the Dairy Supply Chain Forum to 19 November to discuss ways of tackling this issue and Ministers and officials are both in regular contact with industry. In particular, we are working to help farmers to manage the short term impact of price volatility and maximise its potential. We have given dairy farmers the opportunity for greater influence in the marketplace through uniting in Producer Organisations. The new Countryside Productivity Scheme, which will start in 2015, will include grants for investment in equipment, start-up activity for young farmers, and projects to help tackle endemic diseases.
The long term prospects for growth in the dairy sector are good and UK dairy exports are now at record levels reaching £1.3billion last year, a nominal increase of 62% since 2009. We are pushing within Europe for better Country of Origin labelling for British dairy products. In the past year we have opened new markets for UK dairy in Cuba, Honduras, and Madagascar which supported 47% year on year growth in non-EU dairy exports in 2014.
Speech in Westminster Hall - Wed 03 Dec 2014
UK Sea Bass Stocks
"I congratulate my hon. Friend on securing this debate. On a day when we are celebrating our long-term economic plan, does he agree that we need to support individual anglers and the economic activity he describes? If we need evidence of the difference he proposes, we can look to our …..."Guy Opperman - View Speech
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Written Question
Monday 24th November 2014
Asked by:
Guy Opperman (Conservative - Hexham)
Question
to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what her policy is on long-term commercial forestry.
Answered by Dan Rogerson
We are actively implementing our Forestry and Woodlands Policy commitments to protect, improve and expand our forests. Specifically in relation to commercial forestry, this includes working with the sector’s Grown in Britain initiative to make planting new commercial woodland more economically attractive, and encouraging private sector investment through our Woodland Carbon Code. We are also looking at ways of reducing red tape affecting woodland planting and helping forestry businesses to become more competitive through the Rural Development Programme.
Speech in Westminster Hall - Wed 05 Nov 2014
Dairy Industry
"I congratulate my hon. Friend on securing the debate. I represent the county with the smallest population, where the point that he is making is particularly apposite. Does he agree that it is utterly important for the Government to provide better guidance on how our co-operatives and producers can come …..."Guy Opperman - View Speech
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Thu 30 Oct 2014
Oral Answers to Questions
"T7. After that introduction, Mr Speaker, I hope I do not disappoint, but thank you for calling me, in any event. What steps are being taken to increase the planting of commercial forestry in this country so that we do not face again the problems of yesteryear, and businesses have …..."Guy Opperman - View Speech
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 08 Sep 2014
Food Fraud
"I congratulate the hon. Gentleman on securing the debate. Let me return it from the political point-scoring of the hon. Member for Ogmore (Huw Irranca-Davies) to the fact that we all support the fundamentals of the report. More specifically, and more importantly, does the report not ram home the point …..."Guy Opperman - View Speech
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Thu 04 Sep 2014
Sale of Puppies and Kittens
"rose—..."Guy Opperman - View Speech
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Thu 04 Sep 2014
Sale of Puppies and Kittens
"I am most grateful to the hon. Gentleman. I congratulate him on securing this debate and support the motion, on behalf of the many constituents who have contacted me. May I make a simple point? The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has gone through the process of traceability …..."Guy Opperman - View Speech
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Speech in Westminster Hall - Wed 02 Apr 2014
Elliott Review and Food Crime
"I congratulate my hon. Friend on securing this important debate. I also congratulate the team behind the Elliott review, which made helpful and important recommendations. On Tesco’s share price going down, she will be aware that local markets and butchers enjoyed a renaissance, as people—certainly in my area of Northumberland—realised …..."Guy Opperman - View Speech
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Speech in Westminster Hall - Wed 02 Apr 2014
Elliott Review and Food Crime
"To take the cottage pie example, should not the message from this debate, aside from all the points about the Elliott review and security, be that we should encourage cooking in our schools, and encourage people to buy the meat from the butcher and the potato from a grocer, so …..."Guy Opperman - View Speech
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