Oral Answers to Questions

Baroness Chapman of Darlington Excerpts

Thursday 19th July 2018 Commons Chamber

[Dominic Raab]

No, it is the Prime Minister and the Cabinet. I will be deputising for the Prime Minister in the negotiations. I will be out seeing Michel Barnier shortly, and I hope that I can attest to his full support for the White Paper.

[Jenny Chapman (Darlington) (Lab)]

Not so long ago, the Secretary of State, in a burst of youthful exuberance, published a blog—[Interruption.] It was not that racy. It included his 10 policies “for a Better Britain”. Policy No. 7 stated:

“We need to deregulate…the common market”.

Does he still agree with his own manifesto for Britain?

[Dominic Raab]

In all those areas, as important as they are and whatever the different views across the House on those sensitive matters, the crucial thing is that elected Members in this House have the last word on the laws of the land. I share her concern about those areas and her interest. Why on earth would she want to abdicate responsibility for law making to Brussels, when in this House we need to be accountable to our constituents?

[Jenny Chapman]

For British farmers to trade successfully with Europe, we must remain on the same level playing field, with common standards and regulations. The president of the National Farmers Union said earlier this year that

“the floor is for our standards to be in line with the rest of Europe”.

Does the Secretary of State agree with the Farmers Union or himself?

[Dominic Raab]

I think that he has welcomed the White Paper—

[Jenny Chapman]

She!

[Dominic Raab]

She has welcomed the White Paper, but I would gently say to the hon. Lady that the CAP’s land-based subsidy and the bureaucratic structure that goes with it has held back productivity in this country and has not delivered the scale of environmental improvement we need. When we leave the common agricultural policy, we will make sure that we have the best agricultural but also environmental policy for this country.