Oral Answers to Questions

Angela Smith Excerpts
Thursday 17th December 2015

(8 years, 11 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Elizabeth Truss Portrait Elizabeth Truss
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I was in China a few weeks ago, and one of the things we promoted was Greene King in Chongqing. We were accompanied on our visit by the biggest ever delegation of food companies—there were more than 80 companies with us. With the launch of the Great British food unit, which brings together UKTI and DEFRA expertise, I expect us to have even more in the future.

Angela Smith Portrait Angela Smith (Penistone and Stocksbridge) (Lab)
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Value for money and efficiency in delivering help is important, but the Government also need to be flexible enough to respond to unforeseen events. Will the Secretary of State look urgently at helping the farmers severely hit by the recent flooding, by making at least partial payments from the basic payment scheme?

Elizabeth Truss Portrait Elizabeth Truss
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I met farmers in Cumbria earlier this week. We are identifying the 600 farmers and making sure that we get the basic payments out to them as soon as possible. We have also put in place a farming recovery fund, to which farmers will be able to apply from tomorrow, to give them the extra funding needed to get their farms back to normal.