Common Agricultural Policy and Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateBaroness Vere of Norbiton
Main Page: Baroness Vere of Norbiton (Conservative - Life peer)Department Debates - View all Baroness Vere of Norbiton's debates with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
(6 years, 7 months ago)
Grand Committee The Earl of Erroll (CB)
        
    
    
    
    
    
        
        
        
            The Earl of Erroll (CB) 
        
    
        
    
        My Lords, I want to say just a couple of things. I am married to a farmer and in the evenings I have to try to sort out some of the paperwork, mapping, basic payment systems—
 Baroness Vere of Norbiton (Con)
        
    
    
    
    
    
        
        
        
            Baroness Vere of Norbiton (Con) 
        
    
        
    
        I do not believe that the noble Earl was here at the start of the debate and therefore it is not really possible for him to take part.
 The Earl of Erroll
        
    
    
    
    
    
        
        
        
            The Earl of Erroll 
        
    
        
    
        I am sorry. I was only going to make a point about the RPA workload.
 Baroness Vere of Norbiton
        
    
    
    
    
    
        
        
        
            Baroness Vere of Norbiton 
        
    
        
    
        Perhaps the noble Earl might speak to the Minister afterwards.
 Lord Grantchester (Lab)
        
    
    
    
    
    
        
        
        
            Lord Grantchester (Lab) 
        
    
        
    
        I am grateful to the Minister for his introduction to the bundle of regulations before the Committee today. I declare my interests as listed in the register and that I receive EU funds under the CAP schemes that we are discussing here.
 Baroness Vere of Norbiton
        
    
    
    
    
    
        
        
        
            Baroness Vere of Norbiton 
        
    
        
    
        My Lords, I am afraid the noble Lord was not in the Committee at the start of debate.
 Lord Gardiner of Kimble
        
    
    
    
    
    
        
        
        
            Lord Gardiner of Kimble 
        
    
        
    
        Would it help if the noble Lord and I had a conversation after this debate on the statutory instrument? I am interested in hearing his point.
With your Lordships’ permission, I will conclude my point. In a no-deal scenario, the SI will take effect on exit day; in the case of a withdrawal agreement, it will come into force after the implementation period.
On the noble Lord’s question about Ireland, these regulations will ensure that the same state aid regime applies in the UK and Ireland, because obviously it is bringing back the same arrangements.
My noble friend Lady Byford asked how many farmers fell within the schemes. My memory is that for direct payments, it is about 85,000 farmers, but of course with countryside stewardship and environmental stewardships it is a much smaller sum.