Oral Answers to Questions

Kevin Hollinrake Excerpts

Thursday 3rd September 2020 Commons Chamber

[Mr Jayawardena]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right to raise the untapped potential of South American markets. Britain used to do more in this part of the world, so my Department is working to reignite those trading relationships through regular ministerial discussions, including with Brazil, to open up opportunities for trade. We have already secured a number of free trade agreements to ensure continuity of access for British businesses, and we are interested in further opportunities to deepen these relationships in the region, including through Mercosur.

[Kevin Hollinrake (Thirsk and Malton) (Con)]

What steps her Department is taking to help the food and farming sector recover from the covid-19 pandemic.

[Steve Double (St Austell and Newquay) (Con)]

What steps her Department is taking to help the food and farming sector recover from the covid-19 pandemic.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Trade (Graham Stuart)]

The agriculture, food and drink sector is the UK’s largest manufacturing industry and supports about 4 million jobs. With exports worth £23.8 billion last year, we are determined to see this success continue. So on 22 June, alongside the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and business, I was delighted to launch an agriculture, food and drink bounce-back plan to drive exports and recovery from covid.

[Kevin Hollinrake]

My father was a hill farmer, so it was a pleasure to meet a group of hill farmers in Bilsdale in my constituency, together with British Wool, which tells me that farm-gate prices for fleeces are down by 90% this year—so farmers are better off burning them than transporting them. Will British wool feature in a future free trade agreement?

[Graham Stuart]

I thank my hon. Friend, who stands up for Yorkshire farmers whether of sheep or other products. This Government will stand firm in trade negotiations, and we will always do right by our farmers and aim to secure new opportunities for the industry. We are also engaging with stakeholders such as the National Sheep Association through the agri-food trade advisory group. During our negotiations, DIT is also supporting interiors and apparel textiles manufacturers who use British wool at leading international trade fairs such as Heimtextil.

--- Later in debate ---

[Elizabeth Truss]

The answer is that I am in direct talks with the US about dealing with this issue, following the failure of the EU, which the hon. Lady wants to rejoin, to do anything about it for 15 years.

[Kevin Hollinrake (Thirsk and Malton) (Con)]

Neonicotinoids are banned in the UK as seed dressing for sugar beet growers or for oilseed rape, but they are allowed in other countries, including some in the EU, putting their producers at a natural advantage over our producers. Will advantages of that kind be eliminated in a future free trade agreement?

[Elizabeth Truss]

All our decisions about pesticides are of course made in line with the best available science, but I assure my hon. Friend that our agri-food trade advisory group will absolutely look to make sure that our farmers are not disadvantaged in trade negotiations.