Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Kwasi Kwarteng and Kerry McCarthy

Tuesday 22nd October 2019 Commons Chamber

[Kerry McCarthy (Bristol East) (Lab)]

T2. British companies have been shown to be complicit in the fires and deforestation in the Amazon through their investments and supply chains. Will the Minister look at introducing mandatory due diligence to address this?

[The Minister for Business, Energy and Clean Growth (Kwasi Kwarteng)]

This subject has come up, and we need to look at how companies and exporters tackle serious carbon emissions. What they are doing in the Amazon is not acceptable. We need to engage with that and have a dialogue.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Kwasi Kwarteng and Kerry McCarthy

Thursday 27th June 2019 Commons Chamber

[Kwasi Kwarteng]

We have made a lot of progress on trying to replace a lot of the EU’s funds and the regional way in which they allocate money. We have the UK shared prosperity fund, details of which will be introduced next year.

[Kerry McCarthy (Bristol East) (Lab)]

In the recent Tory leadership debate, the Foreign Secretary challenged his rival over no deal, saying:

“Let me ask Boris a question: what would you say to a sheep farmer in Shropshire that I met whose business would be destroyed by 40% tariffs?”

What would the Minister say to that sheep farmer?

[Kwasi Kwarteng]

We have already made a commitment in this House to support our agricultural industries and our farmers under any circumstances, whether that is a deal or no deal. We have an Agriculture Bill that will allow the Secretary of State to provide the support that our people need.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Kwasi Kwarteng and Kerry McCarthy

Thursday 24th January 2019 Commons Chamber

[Kerry McCarthy (Bristol East) (Lab)]

There is a real danger in looking at farming policy dissociated from what happens further along the food chain. This week, the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee took evidence from the National Farmers Union and the Food and Drink Federation. Those organisations are obviously concerned about things like tariffs if we exit without a deal, but they are also really concerned about packaging, machine parts and so on—everything that is involved in food production.

[Kwasi Kwarteng]

Of course, the modern economy means that all these issues are integrated. As we said, the Agriculture Bill offers the possibility of a more bespoke policy. That is what Brexit can potentially deliver. So we are completely aware that a lot of these industries are integrated, and have a wide range of problems to solve. That is something that we are fully prepared to deal with.