Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Wales Office

Oral Answers to Questions

Nia Griffith Excerpts
Wednesday 6th November 2024

(2 days, 1 hour ago)

Commons Chamber
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Clive Jones Portrait Clive Jones (Wokingham) (LD)
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7. What discussions she is having with the Welsh Government on support for the farming industry in Wales.

Nia Griffith Portrait The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales (Dame Nia Griffith)
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I recently met the Deputy First Minister of Wales to discuss a range of matters relating to farming. In September, the inter-ministerial group meeting on rural affairs agreed to improve food security and environmental land management by increasing the exchange of data and insights on farming support schemes. I was also pleased to see the Budget protecting Welsh farm budgets at current levels for the financial year.

Clive Jones Portrait Clive Jones
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The Secretary of State, while in opposition, warned that the New Zealand trade deal would push Welsh farmers into bankruptcy and noted that Australian meat was produced at a far lower standard than in Wales. I agree. My constituents want high-quality Welsh lamb, beef and chicken. Will the Minister therefore push her colleagues in the Department for Business and Trade to review the Australia and New Zealand trade agreement and get it right for our farming communities?

Nia Griffith Portrait Dame Nia Griffith
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The hon. Member will know as well as I do that the new Leader of the Opposition is the one who sold our farmers down the river, negotiating deals with places such as Australia and leaving our farmers open to increasing quotas on imported meat. I assure him that this Government are committed to promoting robust standards, nationally and internationally, to protect consumer interests and to ensure that consumers have confidence in the food that they buy. We will consider the full range of tools at our disposal to uphold the UK’s commitment to high standards. That includes using our influence in the World Trade Organisation and other multilateral bodies to argue for better and fairer trading rules.

Steve Witherden Portrait Steve Witherden (Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr) (Lab)
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8. What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help create new jobs in Wales.

Nia Griffith Portrait The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales (Dame Nia Griffith)
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Our mission to kick-start economic growth will deliver good jobs and growth in Wales. Just last month, our international investment summit secured over £63 billion in private investment into the UK. Since July, we have secured over £1 billion of investment into north Wales, creating and sustaining 400 well-paid jobs in manufacturing.

Steve Witherden Portrait Steve Witherden
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The Secretary of State has said that economic growth is her No. 1 priority. Can the Minister say how the Budget’s confirmation of the investment zones will help contribute to that aim?

Nia Griffith Portrait Dame Nia Griffith
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The Budget includes a total of £320 million and a commitment for the investment zones in Cardiff and Newport and in Wrexham and Flintshire. This is a crucial part of our work with the Welsh Government to provide a rocket boost for sectoral strengths such as the creative industries, the life sciences and advanced manufacturing, including our world-leading compound semiconductor cluster.

Jim Shannon Portrait Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)
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There is great potential for creating new jobs in wind energy and sea energy in Wales. We in Northern Ireland, and in Belfast in particular, have the engineering skills to provide the turbines for that energy production. Everyone would gain: Wales would get the jobs, and Northern Ireland would get the jobs as well.

Nia Griffith Portrait Dame Nia Griffith
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This Government are absolutely committed to economic growth across all parts of the United Kingdom.

The Prime Minister was asked—