Forest-Risk Commodities

Debate between Lord Hannay of Chiswick and Baroness Hayman of Ullock

Monday 2nd March 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Lab)]

I assure the noble Baroness that the UK remains absolutely committed to providing international climate finance, both now and in the future, and to play our part alongside other developed countries and climate finance providers to deliver on our international commitments. There is a real economic benefit globally, not just here, to do that. We are on track to deliver £11.6 billion in international climate finance by the end of 2025-26 and are supporting the transition to more sustainable food and land use globally to help ensure the future of our global supply chains.

[Lord Hannay of Chiswick (CB)]

My Lords, I imagine that the Minister is aware that the Government have signed a memorandum of understanding with the Government of Indonesia, which is a substantial producer of palm oil and palm oil products. What steps are the Government taking to ensure that Indonesian palm oil products exported to us are not being grown in plantations planted in place of tropical rainforests?

[Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Lab)]

As I mentioned, we remain steadfast in working with partners to deliver our shared commitment to halt and reverse deforestation and forest degradation. Clearly, examples such as that which the noble Lord has just given are part of that. We need to ensure that any regulatory frameworks we bring in are robust and proportionate but also effective in addressing any deforestation in UK supply chains. Any decision-making will also have to consider the implications of the EU deforestation regulation on UK businesses that trade with the EU, and that is part of the bigger picture in order to address exactly the issues that the noble Lord is talking about.

Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund

Debate between Lord Hannay of Chiswick and Baroness Hayman of Ullock

Monday 27th October 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Lab)]

Exports, whether that is of fish or in other parts of our food industry, are a really important part of how we can continue to grow the economy in this country and support both our farmers and our fishermen. Exports dropped fairly significantly after Brexit, so one of the things we want to achieve with the SPS agreement is better export conditions to increase opportunities for both our farmers and our fishers.

[Lord Hannay of Chiswick (CB)]

My Lords, does the Minister agree that this exchange of questions demonstrates a certain absence of knowledge about how much damage was done by the terms in which Brexit was embedded, which has resulted, as she says, in a sharp drop in our exports? Would the Government find it useful to put into the public domain a little bit more of the factual basis for the sort of questions we have had this afternoon in the House?

[Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Lab)]

Clearly, one reason we want to do the EU reset and get an SPS agreement and a better working relationship with the EU is to ensure that we have the best economic growth we can possibly get in this country. However, it is also important that we can work efficiently and effectively with our closest trading partner. The noble Lord has made some very good points about the kind of information that should be available, and I hope that the EU reset will start to reset some of the difficulties that he is referring to.

UK Fishers: EU Agreement

Debate between Lord Hannay of Chiswick and Baroness Hayman of Ullock

Monday 31st March 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Lab)]

Not to my knowledge.

[Lord Hannay of Chiswick (CB)]

My Lords, will the Minister confirm that, following the trade and co-operation agreement, the Government will enter into post-2026 fisheries issues at the time laid down for that and not at any artificial date, and that they will negotiate in good faith and in good time on that timetable and not on any artificial proposal to advance that date?

[Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Lab)]

We will always negotiate in good faith. Regarding any new negotiations, we do not have any talks with the EU currently scheduled. We are content with the existing agreement and with the full and faithful implementation of the TCA post-2026 fisheries access arrangements. However, we will of course listen to the EU and the industry, and we intend to continue to protect the interests of UK fishers.

High Seas Treaty

Debate between Lord Hannay of Chiswick and Baroness Hayman of Ullock

Monday 10th March 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Lab)]

To confirm, the UN ocean conference is a separate meeting. Therefore, it is not a deadline for ratification of the treaty, but we are committed to the ratification.

[Lord Hannay of Chiswick (CB)]

My Lords, does the Minister not recognise that with areas such as this in which the United States is not participating, it is even more important that we ratify promptly and show that such international arrangements can be made to work even without the United States?

[Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Lab)]

I can only reiterate our commitment to ratifying the treaty.