Oral Answers to Questions

Mark Williams Excerpts

Thursday 24th November 2016 Commons Chamber

[Dr Coffey]

I attended the convention on international trade in endangered species in September this year, when we secured greater scrutiny of trade in trophies to ensure the sustainability of lion exports. We already have suspensions in place for some countries where hunting cannot be considered sustainable at the current time. For example, we are refusing imports of lions and lion trophies from Mozambique, apart from animals hunted in the Niassa reserve, where hunting is considered to be well managed and sustainable.

[Mr Mark Williams (Ceredigion) (LD)]

One of the characteristics of European structural funds has been support for post-industrial areas. Areas such as mine in west Wales have been huge beneficiaries of structural funds to boost training and businesses. What assurances can the Minister give that west Wales will continue to have access to such funding streams post-2020?

[Dr Coffey]

My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has already given an assurance that schemes signed in advance of the autumn statement would be honoured in full. He has also continued to give the assurance that as long as funding schemes that are being developed offer good value for money, we will continue to support them in all parts of the United Kingdom.

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[Mr Speaker]

I have always thought of the right hon. Gentleman sitting and reading Proust, rather than having a knees-up, so one’s imagination is challenged a bit—but there you go, it is probably good for us.

[Mr Mark Williams (Ceredigion) (LD)]

T6. Further to the question from the hon. Member for Ochil and South Perthshire (Ms Ahmed-Sheikh), may I argue the case for Wales and ask the Secretary of State what discussions she has had with Assembly Ministers on the case for post-2020 funding that both respects devolution and gives us a fair funding settlement for Welsh farmers?

[Andrea Leadsom]

I am meeting a Welsh Minister just today to discuss that very subject, and my colleagues have met a number of Welsh Ministers in recent weeks. At official level there are constant discussions, we have had informal stakeholder meetings and, as we have pointed out, formal consultations will be taking place, starting in the near future.