Garden Centres

Debate between Baroness Watkins of Tavistock and Lord Gardiner of Kimble

Wednesday 29th April 2020 Lords Chamber

[Lord Gardiner of Kimble]

My Lords, I am most grateful to the noble Duke. As Minister for Rural Affairs, I will take that back as part of our discussion. In dealing with the health crisis, we will see what matters can come forward at the review times.

[Baroness Watkins of Tavistock (CB)]

My Lords, we are in danger of losing public confidence in our approach to social distancing. I can buy plants from the Netherlands in my nearest supermarket, which is five miles away, but my local rural garden centre, where I have always bought them, to which I can walk in 20 minutes, is having to lay staff off, throw plants away and deny people like me perfectly easy access using social distancing. Please can the Minister urge Public Health England to understand how inappropriate the current guidance is?

[Lord Gardiner of Kimble]

I say to the noble Baroness that that will be part of the review process, and it has been helpful for me to have the contributions of noble Lords.