Oral Answers to Questions

Lord Bellingham Excerpts

Thursday 26th January 2017 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Colleagues, may I point out that there are a lot of questions on the Order Paper that I am keen to reach, but exchanges at the moment are quite ponderous? We need to speed up a bit.

[Sir Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk) (Con)]

4. What recent discussions he has had with farmers’ representatives on support for agriculture after the UK leaves the EU.

[Chris Elmore (Ogmore) (Lab/Co-op)]

18. What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues, as part of the preparations for the negotiations on the UK leaving the EU, on support for farmers.

[The Minister of State, Department for Exiting the European Union (Mr David Jones)]

We have an unprecedented opportunity to redesign our policies to ensure that our agricultural industry is competitive, productive and profitable and that our environment is protected for future generations. I regularly meet farmers’ representatives from all over the United Kingdom as well as my ministerial colleagues.

[Sir Henry Bellingham]

Does the Minister agree that, post-Brexit, there are two key priorities for agriculture? First, we need to devise a system of support for the rural economy that does not contain the current levels of EU bureaucracy, which is so expensive. If we achieve that, does he agree that we could then maintain the current levels of support for the rural economy?

[Mr Jones]

My hon. Friend makes an important point. Once we have left the European Union, we will be able to redesign our policies to suit the needs of British agriculture. That should lead to a significant reduction in red tape and, as he rightly says, a significant reduction in costs.