Oral Answers to Questions

Nic Dakin Excerpts

Thursday 26th October 2017 Commons Chamber

[George Eustice]

If the hon. Gentleman had listened to my earlier answer, he would know that I said precisely that we want to monitor trends in this disease, which is why we are starting to collect and test a sample of badgers to develop these protocols. A lot of post-mortem analysis was done during the RBCTs, and we know from that—it was not conclusive—that the typical prevalence rate of the disease in the badger population in the high-risk area is 30%.

[Nic Dakin (Scunthorpe) (Lab)]

6. What assessment he has made of the potential effect of the UK leaving the EU on the supply of labour to the farming and agricultural sectors.

[The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (George Eustice)]

We are working with the farming and agriculture sector to assess the impact on this industry of leaving the EU. Following the decision to close the seasonal agricultural workers scheme in 2013, DEFRA set up the SAWS transition working group, which brings industry and the Government together to monitor seasonal labour. I met this group on 7 September. DEFRA is working with the Home Office to ensure that workforce requirements are considered in any future immigration system.

[Nic Dakin]

In order to give farmers and the industry confidence in the system, when will the promised review that the Minister alludes to report?

[George Eustice]

We regularly meet the SAWS transition group, as I said, and we work closely with Home Office officials on this. The Home Office has established a review by the Migration Advisory Committee. Indeed, its call for evidence closes this week—on 27 October. Over the past month, we have been encouraging all interested parties to contribute to that review.

--- Later in debate ---

[Dr Coffey]

We do want to plant more trees. We are trying different ways to accelerate the planting of trees. My right hon. Friend will also be aware of our manifesto commitment to plant 1 million urban trees. I am very hopeful that many of them will be in her delightful constituency. I am sure either I or the Secretary of State will visit in due course.

[Nic Dakin (Scunthorpe) (Lab)]

T3. Like many other MPs across the House, the Secretary of State and I supported CAMRA’s general election pledges for beer and pubs, because we recognise the role of pubs in our communities. Is he putting pressure on the Chancellor to freeze beer duty in the Budget?

[Michael Gove]

Conversations between the Chancellor and myself are fruitful. They are fruitful because they are intimate and therefore I cannot say any more.