Brexit: Food Prices Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Lord Redesdale
Main Page: Lord Redesdale (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)Department Debates - View all Lord Redesdale's debates with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Brexit: Food Prices
Lord Redesdale Excerpts(7 years ago)
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Lord Redesdale (LD)
My Lords, I declare an interest as the owner of two hill farms: I understand the economics of hill farming. The Minister said that he was confident in British agriculture but, without subsidies, hill farming, which is already almost uneconomic, will become disastrous. Can the Minister say whether the subsidies, including the environmental subsidies through entry-level and high-level stewardships, will be confirmed to the end of this Parliament? Sorry—I had better say “by 2022”.
Lord Gardiner of Kimble
My Lords, the Secretary of State and the Minister have made very clear that the continuing support—I think that the word is “support” rather than “subsidies” for agriculture—will continue until the end of this Parliament in 2022. It is important that we look to new arrangements countenancing public benefits, which I believe agriculture and management of the land undoubtedly do. Obviously we are considering agri-environmental schemes, which I think will be of considerable benefit to agriculture, farmers and the environment.