Peatlands

Debate between Viscount Ridley and Lord De Mauley

Wednesday 8th January 2014 Lords Chamber

[Lord De Mauley]

No, my Lords; that is why I mentioned the new environmental land management scheme.

[Viscount Ridley]

My Lords, is the Minister aware that it is not only in this country and not only with wind farms that some renewable energy projects are proving to be worse for carbon emissions, because of their effect on peat? For example, a study from Leicester University showed that biomass production from tropical peatland forests can worsen the effect of carbon dioxide emission.

[Lord De Mauley]

That is a very interesting point, but it strays a little wide of the Question.

Bovine Tuberculosis

Debate between Viscount Ridley and Lord De Mauley

Tuesday 26th November 2013 Lords Chamber

[Lord De Mauley]

My Lords, that is something on which we can all agree. Indeed, our strategy is based on TB being particularly rife in the south and west and moving northwards and eastwards, but in the part of the world that the noble Lord, Lord Dubs, comes from it is not yet endemic in the badger population. What we find in the high-incidence areas is that it forms a reservoir in that element of wildlife, unfortunately badgers. As I say, our strategy is built on trying to slow the spread across the country.

[Viscount Ridley (Con)]

My Lords, I declare an interest as somebody who has just sold a much loved White Park bull from Northumberland to Gloucestershire, where it promptly got TB and died. The lesson I have learnt is that in future I am going to use artificial insemination instead so as not to risk these animals.

[Lord De Mauley]

That is a lesson to us all, my Lords.

Genetically Modified Crops

Debate between Viscount Ridley and Lord De Mauley

Wednesday 26th June 2013 Lords Chamber

[Lord De Mauley]

The noble Lord makes a really important point. My right honourable friend the Secretary of State and I have discussed this issue with Commissioner Borg in order to emphasise the importance of finding a solution that gets the current system working. The commissioner has signalled that he wants to try to resolve the problems at European level and we look forward to further discussions on this issue.

[Viscount Ridley]

My Lords, can my noble friend explain why, for 20 years, a group of environmental activists has been allowed to deny the British consumer choice in this matter: the choice to buy GM crops if they prefer them because they think they are good for human health and the environment?

[Lord De Mauley]

My noble friend is quite right that there are groups—interests—that have been successful in creating controversy around GM which has devalued the public debate and means that people have not been able to reach a balanced view of the pros and cons. We will strive to change that.