Oral Answers to Questions

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick Excerpts

Tuesday 2nd December 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I am afraid that colleagues will have to see what opportunities are presented during topical questions. Progress today has been incredibly slow, and we have a lot of questions to get through.

[Ms Margaret Ritchie (South Down) (SDLP)]

8. What recent assessment he has made of the effects of Russia’s ban on EU food imports.

[The Minister for Europe (Mr David Lidington)]

We estimate that about £4.5 billion of EU food exports stand to be affected, of which the UK share amounts to £39 million. At the same time, import restrictions have led to price increases to Russian shoppers of about 15%.

[Ms Ritchie]

Russia’s ban on EU food imports has contributed to the creation of an imbalance between market demand and supply in the dairy industry, particularly in Northern Ireland, where we rely greatly on exports. In view of that, will the Minister have immediate discussions with his ministerial colleagues in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with a view to pursuing other global markets for the dairy industry?