Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between David Rutley and Helen Goodman

Thursday 29th November 2018 Commons Chamber

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (David Rutley)]

Ministers and officials from DEFRA regularly meet their counterparts in the Department for International Trade to discuss a wide range of trade issues. The Government are clear that future trade agreements must work for consumers, farmers and businesses in the UK. We will not water down our standards on food safety, animal welfare and environmental protection as part of any future trade deals.

[Helen Goodman]

I begin by congratulating DEFRA on the contribution that it has no doubt made to the excellent Government document on the implications of Brexit. In the section on agri-food we see that a no deal could produce a 35% reduction in competitiveness, and even the Prime Minister’s estimates predict a reduction of 7%. So will the Minister confirm today that we will not allow unfair competition from imports from countries that produce to lower standards?

[David Rutley]

Yes, I can confirm that.

Food Labelling and Allergy-Related Deaths

Debate between David Rutley and Helen Goodman

Tuesday 9th October 2018 Commons Chamber

[David Rutley]

Absolutely. As a parent, one can barely consider what they must have gone through during those hours on the flight and afterwards.

[Helen Goodman (Bishop Auckland) (Lab)]

Speaking as one who always has to carry two epipens, I think that the Government need to take a wider view. Please could the review also include restaurant food, and will the Minister talk to his colleagues in the Department of Health about better training for medics and paramedics and more research into this growing crisis?

[David Rutley]

Yes, it does need to be wide. Yes, we need to involve other areas such as training for paramedics. We need to make sure that there is much better information and training. It is very serious, and I will make sure that that happens.