Bovine TB
Debate between Owen Paterson and Matthew Offord(10 years, 8 months ago)
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Mr Paterson
That rather depends on what the protesters do. If the countryside were inhabited only by responsible country people, who are very concerned about TB, the policing costs would be very low. I totally respect democracy. We all have different views, and I totally respect people’s right to protest, but if we have an invasion of protesters who try to stop the democratic Government’s disease control policy by using measures that cross the border from legitimate democratic protest into active disruption, the policing costs will become significant.
Dr Matthew Offord (Hendon) (Con)
When did the Secretary of State last discuss the timetable for establishing a legal, validated cattle vaccine with the European Commission?
Mr Paterson
I saw the commissioner on the Monday a fortnight ago—the first day I came back.
Flooding
Debate between Owen Paterson and Matthew Offord(10 years, 11 months ago)
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Mr Paterson
I am sorry to disappoint the hon. Gentleman, but he is wrong. We are going to spend £2.3 billion over the course of this Parliament. The scheme he mentions may be a good candidate for partnership funding, which has helped get a whole number of schemes that were stuck beforehand over the barrier because they depended entirely on Environment Agency funding.
Dr Matthew Offord (Hendon) (Con)
I welcome the Secretary of State’s statement and congratulate him on his energetic performance over the Christmas period, when I saw him here and on our television screens informing the public. Does he agree that he saw a lot of surface water on his travels, and will he assure me and the House that he will have conversations with the Department for Communities and Local Government to ensure that local authorities are playing their part in clearing culverts to ensure that standing water on roads does not contribute to the worsening floods?
Mr Paterson
I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his comments. DCLG Ministers obviously played a key part in our Cobra meetings, and liaison with relevant local councils was discussed almost on a daily basis. That is a key local government responsibility that has been pursued with vigour by Ministers at the centre.