European Union: Trade Barriers Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Lord Bishop of Exeter
Main Page: Lord Bishop of Exeter (Bishops - Bishops)Department Debates - View all Lord Bishop of Exeter's debates with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
(1 year, 4 months ago)
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Lord Benyon (Con)
We are 74% self-sufficient in products we can grow in this country and 62% self-sufficient in all food items. We are setting in train a whole range of policies through which we are trying to assist farmers to diversify their businesses, to find new markets and to find them locally. I absolutely agree with my noble friend that we want to be as self-sufficient in other products as we are in eggs and some dairy products, for example.
The Lord Bishop of Exeter
My Lords, I wonder what account His Majesty’s Government have taken of the impact of ending their direct payments to English farmers, and whether it has put them at a competitive disadvantage compared to their European counterparts.
Lord Benyon (Con)
I do not see how that can happen; 55% of the direct payments went to the 10% who constitute the largest farmers—a deeply unfair system. We are focusing on payments with environmental benefits, encouraging farmers to achieve the standards required by their buyers. For example, ARLA is demanding that farmers do not pollute and have good animal welfare systems in place, and we, through our environmental land management schemes, are supporting farmers to do that.