Oral Answers to Questions

Bill Wiggin Excerpts
Thursday 19th January 2017

(7 years, 9 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Andrea Leadsom Portrait Andrea Leadsom
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If that is the hon. Gentleman’s definition of not being nasty to anyone, that does not really work very well. I am not sure that Labour has much support in the countryside because it has done nothing for country folk. It is the Government who have ensured that we continue with support until 2020 and with all agri-environment schemes that are signed up before we leave the EU for their lifetime, to ensure that continuity for business confidence. It is the Government who are committed to a world-leading food and farming industry, while at the same time to an environment that is better than we inherited. Those are great ambitions and we will achieve them.

John Bercow Portrait Mr Speaker
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What a delicious choice. Mr William Wiggin.

Bill Wiggin Portrait Bill Wiggin
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Having heard what my right hon. Friend has said, and knowing what sort of Minister she is, I cannot really believe that her team were fully briefed properly when they saw the nitrate vulnerable zones regulation rolled out to new parts of England.

Andrea Leadsom Portrait Andrea Leadsom
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I would be happy to meet and discuss that issue separately with my hon. Friend, but I can absolutely assure him that we looked very carefully at this issue. As ever, there is a balance between successful sustainable farming, food productivity and what is right for our environment.