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.