Oral Answers to Questions

Rebecca Pow Excerpts

Wednesday 12th October 2022 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

I want to correct the hon. Lady, because what we are doing is simply not putting up corporation tax. It is not a tax cut; we are just not raising corporation tax. I feel it would be wrong, in a time when we are trying to attract investment into our country and at a time of global economic slowdown, to be raising taxes, because it will bring less revenue in. The way we are going to get the money to fund our national health service and to fund our schools is by having a strong economy, with companies investing and creating jobs.

[Rebecca Pow (Taunton Deane) (Con)]

I fully support this Government’s growth agenda, but would the Prime Minister agree that that can be achieved while also protecting and restoring our precious nature and ecosystems and working with our farmers, so that we meet our legally binding target to restore nature by 2030? I know she understands that; she has precious chalk streams in her own constituency. Will she agree that, if we get this right, there will be more jobs, skills and opportunities, because every nation in the world depends on its natural environment?

[The Prime Minister]

My hon. Friend did a fantastic job promoting the natural environment when she was at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. We are going to deliver economic growth in an environmentally friendly way. This is about improving the processes and delivering better outcomes for the environment while making sure we have a growing economy as well. Those two things go hand in hand.

Tributes to Her Late Majesty The Queen

Rebecca Pow Excerpts

Friday 9th September 2022 Commons Chamber

[Rebecca Pow (Taunton Deane) (Con)]

I am honoured to be able to pay tribute to the remarkable life of Her late Majesty, who has touched all our hearts in so many ways, bringing comfort and guidance to all of us whenever it was needed.

Queen Elizabeth II holds a very special place in the hearts of the people of Taunton Deane. She made a visit in 1987, which was the first visit by a monarch in over 300 years, since the Monmouth rebellion and the infamous battle of Sedgemoor, in which the royals and the monarchy were almost overthrown.

It is a well-known story in my constituency that Queen Victoria was once passing through the west country on a train heading to Devon, and as she passed through Taunton she asked for all the blinds to be drawn, because she did not want to see rebellious Taunton, even though the Monmouth rebellion had been so many years before. The train stopped in Taunton, where a civil party was waiting for her, but she refused to alight. Many years later, this incident was related to the Duke of Edinburgh, who was furious and shared the story with Her Majesty the Queen, who was determined to set the record straight, which is why in 1987 she made the visit to Taunton. We still thank her for it, as we are back in the good books—hopefully that can happen to the rest of us; there are similar things going on in this place. I think that demonstrates the power that Her Majesty had, and how she always wanted to set the record straight and be fair. I am delighted that since then she has made other visits to Taunton and Somerset.

I would like to recount a small, personal story about Her Majesty. I cannot lay claim to any of these bowings or going to Buckingham Palace with all the big titles that one may get in this place, although the stories that we have heard have been absolutely brilliant. A long time ago, in 1985, I was working for the National Farmers Union in Taunton. I ran an organisation called Taste of Somerset, which consisted of all sorts of small, independent food and drink producers. It was the first such initiative in the country, and I had to set up a big marquee at the Royal Bath and West show, of which Her Majesty was a patron. I had the honour of presenting her with a Taste of Somerset hamper. I was beside myself with nerves, as many colleagues have said was the case when they were going to meet the Queen. I had had an outfit made and my hair done, and I had practised my curtsy—I was beside myself. Along she came, and she was utterly charming and delightful. All she had to do was give that smile, which made me feel so comfortable that I forgot my nerves. My mother still has a photograph on the sideboard of her beautiful smile, and me handing over the basket.

Beside that picture is another one of Prince Charles walking through the family farm—I grew up on a Duchy farm. That is another treasured photograph on our sideboard. I remember that day so well, as we were all invited and walked across the farm talking about trees, cows and the countryside—everything Prince Charles was passionate about. The other thing I remember about the event is that we had lunch together and he ate my pudding.

I tell that story, because beside the photograph is a letter that Prince Charles—now the King—sent to my mother only at the beginning of this week, expressing condolences on the loss of my dear father, the farmer, who died and we buried him last week. It was the most wonderful, personal, emotional letter that we could wish for, remembering all the visits to the farm. That is the mark of the man. How sad that in literally three days the tables turned and we are offering our condolences to Prince Charles, who is now our wonderful King. I send deepest condolences from the people of Taunton Deane.

Briefly, Her Majesty was a cornerstone in all our lives. She was Head of State for 70 years, and presided over all our ups and downs. Everyone across the House and even outside has used a list of words with which no one could disagree: the epitome of goodness; steadfast; honourable; warm; humorous; strong; engaging; understanding; and inspirational, most of all—I think you would agree, Madam Deputy Speaker—for women.

I just want to say: thank you, thank you, thank you. How fortunate we are to have lived with this person as our Head of State. She passes on so many attributes to King Charles III. He treads in giant footsteps—even though Her Majesty had tiny feet—but I know that he will, in his own unique way, take the nation and the Commonwealth forward in an exceptional way, just as his mother did. May Her blessed Majesty rest in peace. God save the King.

Oral Answers to Questions

Rebecca Pow Excerpts

Wednesday 15th June 2022 Commons Chamber

[Sally-Ann Hart (Hastings and Rye) (Con)]

5. What progress he plans to make on adaptation in his COP26 presidency year.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Rebecca Pow)]

Good progress is being made on adaptation, as was clear at COP26, and it is critical that we work on that. We will continue to do that through the global goal on adaptation, which has just had its first workshop, and by focusing on doubling adaptation finance to £40 billion. An example of what we in the UK are doing to adapt to rising tides around the coast is our coastal accelerator programme, which we have just launched.

[Sally-Ann Hart]

The reality is that every country, including the UK, will need to adapt to the impacts of climate change, in which nature-based solutions can play a significant role. What steps is my hon. Friend taking to consider the opportunities and policy support needed to implement nature-based solutions across the UK, in ways that deliver for nature, climate and people?

[Rebecca Pow]

I thank my hon. Friend for raising that important issue. Nature-based solutions are critical, and about one third of the mitigation that we need to keep up with 2° of warming can be delivered through natural solutions. That is why the Government are focusing so many of their policies on that issue, whether through flood funding, the new environmental land management scheme, our Nature for Climate fund—that is £740 million and focuses specifically on trees—or peatland restoration. All those things will restore habitats, increase biodiversity and, critically, reduce carbon emissions and sequester carbon.

[Caroline Lucas (Brighton, Pavilion) (Green)]

We rightly talk about the adaptation finance gap, but as the Minister will know, according to Oxfam the economic costs of loss and damage could be up to £580 billion a year by 2030, yet rich countries are continuing to drag their feet. Will the Government work to ensure that Egypt succeeds where Glasgow failed, so that the £100 billion in climate finance is not just met but exceeded, and so that a new loss and damage finance facility is established at COP27?

[Rebecca Pow]

A major focus of COP26 was attracting climate finance, and £126 billion was attracted for the forest and agriculture sector to work on reducing degradation. We are of course focusing on the just energy transition, which is also important, and that remains a key focus, in particular doubling finance for adaptation to £40 billion by 2025.

[Rehman Chishti (Gillingham and Rainham) (Con)]

I very much welcome the Minister’s answer about working with all sectors on delivering on COP26. Before the United Kingdom hosted COP26, the Secretary of State visited the Vatican to meet His Holiness Pope Francis, and to receive a document signed by all faith leaders about their commitments on climate change. The United Kingdom is hosting the international ministerial conference on freedom of religion or belief, which I had the pleasure of signing off during my term in office. Will the Secretary of State and his Department work with the Foreign Office to ensure that the responsibility of faith leaders on climate change, and their work, is taken forward?

[Rebecca Pow]

I thank my hon. Friend for raising that important point, and I know the COP President will be happy to continue the work that is already under way.

[Christine Jardine (Edinburgh West) (LD)]

6. What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on accelerating domestic renewable energy production to reduce carbon emissions and help ensure delivery of COP26 commitments.

Oral Answers to Questions

Rebecca Pow Excerpts

Wednesday 20th April 2022 Commons Chamber

[Duncan Baker (North Norfolk) (Con)]

4. What steps he has taken to conserve forests and woodlands to deliver on the leader’s declaration on forests and land use agreed at COP26.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Rebecca Pow)]

The forests declaration is an unprecedented commitment from 141 countries, covering 90% of global forests, to halt and reverse deforestation by 2030. It is underpinned by $16 billion of public and private finance, by sustainable trade and by support for indigenous people’s rights. We are working closely with the declaration’s endorsers to implement it.

[Duncan Baker]

I thank the Minister for recently visiting my constituency. She will know that North Norfolk is blanketed with ancient forests and woodlands. It is very encouraging that woodland coverage is increasing across the UK and that the Government are committed to preventing the loss of forest. Will the Minister update the House on what progress she is making to increase levels of woodland wildlife as well?

[Rebecca Pow]

It was a pleasure to visit my hon. Friend’s wonderful constituency and great, as ever, to hear about the precious ancient woodland in North Norfolk. We are acting on the need to increase wildlife in Britain in many ways: through the Environment Act 2021, the Government have committed to halt the decline in species abundance by 2030; we are using the nature for climate fund to accelerate tree planting that improves biodiversity; and we are increasing funding to bring woodlands into active management, which is fundamental to the enhancement and conservation of wildlife.

[Anna McMorrin (Cardiff North) (Lab)]

We know that deforestation is causing huge issues for indigenous people around the world. What more can the Government do to put pressure on Governments worldwide, and particularly in Brazil, to prevent deforestation from being carried out by companies that operate here in the UK?

[Rebecca Pow]

The hon. Lady raises a vital point of which we are fully aware, which is why 141 countries signed that commitment in Glasgow to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation. The Government introduced a “due diligence” clause in the Environment Act, so we are making our businesses look at the sustainability of their forest products. We are leading by example, but we have a great deal more work to do around the globe to stop deforestation.

[Dr James Davies (Vale of Clwyd) (Con)]

T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.

Oral Answers to Questions

Rebecca Pow Excerpts

Wednesday 22nd May 2019 Commons Chamber

The Secretary of State was asked—

[Rebecca Pow (Taunton Deane) (Con)]

1. What recent assessment she has made of the security situation in Northern Ireland.

[Mark Menzies (Fylde) (Con)]

2. What recent assessment she has made of the security situation in Northern Ireland.

[The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Karen Bradley)]

The threat from dissident republican terrorism continues to be severe in Northern Ireland after the appalling killing of Lyra McKee. This Government’s first priority is to keep people safe and secure. Vigilance against this continuing threat is essential, and we remain determined to ensure that terrorism never succeeds.

[Rebecca Pow]

I congratulate my right hon. Friend on securing the £105 million of UK Government funding for the new Derry/Londonderry city deal and the inclusive future fund. Does she agree that it is vital that we provide young people with the jobs and skills they need to move on in the future in a world that is rejecting violence and that all these things will help?

[Karen Bradley]

My hon. Friend makes a very important point. I am sure that she will have heard the words of Father Martin Magill at the funeral of Lyra McKee; he said that young people need jobs, not guns. It is exactly right that we should focus our efforts on providing jobs as well as tackling terrorism, so that we can give those young people the alternative to violence so that they can have a future that is fit for them.

Oral Answers to Questions

Rebecca Pow Excerpts

Wednesday 15th May 2019 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

From the hon. Gentleman’s references to those of us across this House, it is obvious that his charm offensive to become the next Speaker has already started. May I also say to him that it is in the interests of Scotland that it remains part of the United Kingdom, and in the interests of the whole of the United Kingdom that we deliver on what people voted for in the referendum and deliver Brexit?

[Rebecca Pow (Taunton Deane) (Con)]

Q14. In Somerset, 15,200 children are now in good and outstanding schools compared with 2010—great news—but, despite 5.9% more funding per pupil going into Somerset, teachers and parents in Taunton Deane are increasingly coming to me to say that they are under funding pressures. They are in the fifth lowest for secondary school funding and the bottom third for primary school funding. Does the Prime Minister agree that to give our children the very best opportunity in life we must correct that funding injustice in Somerset? With a stronger economy overseen by this Government, we can and should do it.

[The Prime Minister]

I thank my hon. Friend for her comments about the increasing number of children in Somerset in good and outstanding schools. It is indeed, as she says, our management of the strong economy that enables us to put more money into our public services, such as education. That is why we are putting a record level of funding into schools this year, giving every local authority more money for every pupil in every school. We have introduced the new funding formula to make distribution fairer across schools across the country. We want to keep on improving education for every child so that, as I said in response to an earlier question from my hon. Friend the Member for Mid Worcestershire (Nigel Huddleston), we have the opportunity to ensure that every child can go on and achieve their full potential.

Oral Answers to Questions

Rebecca Pow Excerpts

Wednesday 1st May 2019 Commons Chamber

[Penny Mordaunt]

It is absolutely right that the hon. Lady should raise that point. Of the areas where Britain can contribute most to the 17 global goals, I personally think that some really stand out: the key three being healthcare, climate change and partnerships. The hon. Lady knows that the Prime Minister, who is the UN Secretary-General’s climate resilience champion, will be doing much more on this in the coming months.

[Rebecca Pow (Taunton Deane) (Con)]

6. What steps her Department is taking to tackle plastic pollution throughout the developing world.

[The Minister for Africa (Harriett Baldwin)]

DFID is committed to helping developing countries tackle the problem of plastic pollution. We are spending up to £39 million to help poorer countries find practical ways to improve waste management and identify ways in which manufacturing processes can reduce plastic pollution.

[Rebecca Pow]

Does the Minister agree that we should increasingly put sustainability at the core of all our funding, particularly around plastics? For example, Tearfund is running projects that enable people to earn a living while cleaning up the planet. This is the direction we should be going in.

[Harriett Baldwin]

Of course, all our work is designed to achieve the sustainable development goals, so sustainability is crucial. Tearfund has done some amazing projects, and I am delighted today that we are announcing that we will match fund a WasteAid project in Cameroon that will help with exactly what my hon. Friend refers to—people earning a living from cleaning up plastic and stopping it going into our oceans.

Oral Answers to Questions

Rebecca Pow Excerpts

Wednesday 24th April 2019 Commons Chamber

[Mr Lidington]

The facts are that the Government have increased police funding by more than £970 million for the next year, and the Labour party voted against that increase when the order came before the House. However, the hon. Lady is right to say that this situation is not only about policing and new laws, but about early intervention. That is why my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has secured £220 million for early intervention projects to try to steer young people at risk of knife crime and other violent crime away from the gangs that can seduce them into that appalling way of life.

[Rebecca Pow (Taunton Deane) (Con)]

Q13. Passions, including my own, are running high about the devastating effects of climate change. While this Government have made great strides, including decarbonising faster than any other country in the G20, we must do more, faster and sooner, for a sustainable future. Will my right hon. Friend ask the Prime Minister to join me in supporting a cross-party call to achieve net zero emissions ahead of our current target of 2050? Almost 200 MPs have signed the letter that was instigated by my hon. Friend the Member for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland (Mr Clarke). Will my right hon. Friend also ask the Prime Minister to meet me and other colleagues to discuss enshrining the proposal in law, as proposed by the forthcoming ten-minute rule Bill from my hon. Friend the Member for Cheltenham (Alex Chalk)?

[Mr Lidington]

I pay tribute to my hon. Friend for the way in which she has championed this and other environmental issues during her time in the House. I can certainly say that a Minister—I do not know whether it will be the Prime Minister—will be happy to see her and other parliamentary colleagues. I hope that she will understand that we will want to look at the advice of the independent Committee on Climate Change to understand what would be needed to achieve that net zero emissions target early and the practical steps that that would involve. However, I can assure her that we are investing more that £2.5 billion to support low-carbon innovation in the UK over the next six years alone. Clean growth is a priority for the Government and will remain so.

European Union (Withdrawal) Act

Rebecca Pow Excerpts

Tuesday 12th March 2019 Commons Chamber

[Nick Herbert (Arundel and South Downs) (Con)]

I will support the deal tonight, as I did before. I welcome the further agreement that was struck in Strasbourg in relation to the backstop. We now have far greater legal certainty about our ability to exit it.

The focus of this debate, and of most of the debate in the past 24 hours and previously, has been the legalities of the backstop and of our exiting it. Ultimately, we should care about the real-world risk of being trapped in the backstop, but that has been discussed very little. What are the actual chances that we will be trapped in the backstop, not from a legal point of view but from a political point of view? Is it likely that we will find ourselves in that position? I think it is perfectly possible to argue that it is highly unlikely.

First, I agree with my right hon. Friend the Member for Preseli Pembrokeshire (Stephen Crabb) that our being in the backstop would not benefit the EU at all. The EU would not want us to remain in the backstop because, for instance, while we were in it, we would have many of the benefits of the single market without paying into the EU. The idea that the EU wishes to trap us in the backstop is simply a wrong analysis.

Secondly, we would have several hurdles to jump before we ever got into the backstop. We would only start to consider it as a possibility if a trade deal were not ready. We now have further legal certainty about the efforts to ensure that the trade deal will be ready. It would only start to become a possibility if the implementation period were not extended. That is an alternative. It would only start to become a possibility if alternative arrangements were not completed. Again, we now have more certainty about the preparations for those alternative arrangements. We should stop talking about the backstop as though we are certain to get into it and certain to be trapped.

[Rebecca Pow (Taunton Deane) (Con)]

My right hon. Friend is making such a powerful case. Is this not about degrees of risk? We should weigh the minuscule risk, as I see it, of being trapped in the backstop against the far greater risk of not agreeing this deal, which would throw into jeopardy all the good things it should bring this country.

[Nick Herbert]

My hon. Friend quite brilliantly anticipates my very next sentence. Ultimately, we have a political judgment to make, not a legal judgment. Is the theoretical, highly unlikely possibility that we will be trapped in the backstop really enough to risk Brexit altogether?

Let me say first of all that anyone who is clinging to the hope that no deal could still happen, and is intending to vote against this deal to achieve it—it appeared to me that my right hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip (Boris Johnson) was thinking of doing that—should forget it, because it is clear that the House will not allow no deal. Whether one supports that move or not, it is about to be taken off the table as an option. We therefore face the clear and present danger that, if this deal does not go through, Brexit will be diluted, seriously delayed, or ditched altogether. That may be what Labour Members want—there is a whole cadre of them who want a second referendum, and others who want to cause difficulty for the Government—but one thing is clear: on these Benches, you cannot talk about gaining control and taking back control, only immediately to cede control to the House of Commons and lose any further control we have to shape the kind of Brexit that we would like. If Conservative Members do not like the deal as it is currently constituted, let them spend the next few months discussing, and then voting on, and then being outvoted on, whether they want a Norway arrangement in which we would become a rule taker, or whether they want a permanent customs union rather than the temporary one for which the backstop provides. That is what Labour Members want, and that is what the House of Commons will give us, whether my hon. Friends like it or not. That is the downside. That is the risk that they are now running: Brexit diluted, seriously delayed, or ditched altogether.

The choice is clear. We can have damaging uncertainty as a result of further delay, anger in the country that we have not implemented the decision that the country took, and the risk—of which my hon. Friends should be perfectly well aware—that the impasse will lead to a general election. Conversely, there is a huge upside to getting this deal through. We avert the risk of no deal, although I think that that is about to be averted altogether. We leave, as promised, on 29 March or shortly after. Business confidence and investment return—and we know that businesses are sitting on cash at present—because we have an implementation period and certainty for those businesses. Resources are released for public services. If the deal does not go through tonight, the Chancellor will have to make it clear tomorrow that he must hold on to cash in the event of uncertainty and of no deal becoming a possibility. If the deal goes through, that cash could be released for public services, which every Member in the House would like to happen.

There are Members who voted to trigger article 50 and who voted for the referendum. Although they did that within the last two years, they are determined to oppose this deal because, in reality, they have reached a position in which they want to oppose or dilute Brexit.

Let me say to my hon. Friends that this not a moment to choose ideological purity above pragmatism. This is a pragmatic deal, which recognises that while 17.4 million people—the majority—did vote to leave the European Union, 16.1 million voted to remain, and we have to compromise. It will be a compromise not with the European Union, but with the country: a sensible compromise which recognises that in leaving we must carry the public with us, and carry business confidence with us.

I say to Members that they have a second chance now to support this deal, and if they really want to deliver Brexit, they should do so.

European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018

Rebecca Pow Excerpts

Tuesday 29th January 2019 Commons Chamber

[Jeremy Corbyn]

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I just ask: is the Prime Minister—

[Rebecca Pow (Taunton Deane) (Con)]

On a point of order, Mr Speaker.

[Mr Speaker]

I hope it is a genuine point of order.

[Rebecca Pow]

It is actually an observation really—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. Resume your seat. [Interruption.] With no disrespect to the hon. Lady, I am not interested in observations. [Interruption.] Order. I am not debating it. I am telling you what the situation is. [Interruption.] It is no good laughing, chuckling away as though it is a matter of great amusement. It is a matter of fact: points of order, yes; observations, no. [Interruption.] No, the hon. Lady has helpfully explained that she had an observation to make. We are very grateful.