Oral Answers to Questions

Angela Smith Excerpts
Thursday 25th October 2012

(12 years, 1 month ago)

Commons Chamber
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Lord Benyon Portrait The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Richard Benyon)
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My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is dealing with this matter at Cabinet level. This is vital to the roll-out of the broadband scheme. We have already made a decision to relax planning for a five-year period to make sure that nothing can get in the way of the roll-out of broadband 2 for the most remote rural communities.

Angela Smith Portrait Angela Smith (Penistone and Stocksbridge) (Lab)
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T6. In response to the recent statement on the badger cull in the House of Lords, the noble Lord Krebs urged Ministers to gather together scientific experts and rethink the Government’s strategy altogether. Why does the Secretary of State not do just that?

Owen Paterson Portrait Mr Paterson
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We have been over this ground on several occasions during the last few days. We are absolutely clear about the fact that the scientific analysis of the trials conducted by the Government that the hon. Lady supported show a 28% reduction in the culled area. That is the information that we are going on, because it is scientifically based.