Budget: Implications for Farming Communities

Roger Gale Excerpts
Monday 4th November 2024

(1 day, 20 hours ago)

Commons Chamber
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Daniel Zeichner Portrait Daniel Zeichner
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I find it hard to respond to a question like that. I spoke earlier about using language carefully, and I would just reiterate that point.

Roger Gale Portrait Sir Roger Gale (Herne Bay and Sandwich) (Con)
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In the rural England that I am privileged to represent part of, they say that you should live as if you are going to die tomorrow and farm as if you are going to live forever. Do the Government not understand that if we inheritance-tax our farms out of existence, there will be no forever, and there will be no food from what was once the garden of England?

Daniel Zeichner Portrait Daniel Zeichner
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The right hon. Gentleman is very knowledgeable about these issues. I just gently ask him to look closely at the detail and the figures, which show that the numbers are low. I do not recognise his characterisation of the future.