Brexit: Environmental Regulation Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Lord Bilimoria
Main Page: Lord Bilimoria (Crossbench - Life peer)Department Debates - View all Lord Bilimoria's debates with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Brexit: Environmental Regulation
Lord Bilimoria Excerpts(4 years, 8 months ago)
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Lord Gardiner of Kimble
We have the ability to challenge through the Commission’s oversight. The point is that the OEP is designed precisely to replace that Commission oversight. There is a lot of ambition about the OEP. We will obviously consider it during the Environment Bill. It will be a very powerful independent body, which will hold public authorities to account. I think that is what we all want.
Lord Bilimoria (CB)
My Lords, does the Minister agree that the withdrawal agreement is only the end of the beginning? If the Government are already talking about diverging from EU regulations and standards, what are the chances of a free trade agreement with our biggest trading partner, which makes up 50% of our trade?
Lord Gardiner of Kimble
My Lords, as I said, we are very clear that we will not compromise any of the standards I have described, whether on animal welfare, the environment or food safety. We have a reputation for those things in this country and we want to build on it.