George Eustice MP recent speeches
- Written Answers — Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Alcoholic Drinks: Exports (22 Jan 2020)George Eustice: Her Majesty’s Government do not collate official statistics of total production in all alcohol categories, and export figures include some re-exported alcohol, especially in the wine category. In 2018 values of £4.8 billion pounds worth of whisky, £620 million pounds of gin and geneva, and £64 million pounds of cider and other fermented beverages were exported. In each case these are...
- Written Answers — Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Food: West Midlands (22 Jan 2020)George Eustice: The Government works closely with the full spectrum of food and drink businesses across the country to promote growth, jobs, productivity and exports. As elsewhere, we engage with businesses in the West Midlands, both directly and through trade associations and other businesses groups, to support them in their efforts to: address economic challenges; understand and mitigate regulatory and...
- Written Answers — Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Agricultural Products: Trade Promotion (22 Jan 2020)George Eustice: Food and drink exports are a success story, increasing by 24% since 2010. The Government is determined to help showcase and promote our excellent food and drink even more in the years to come. The UK’s growing reputation for quality food and drink, with high standards of food safety, animal welfare and sustainability is an excellent platform to increase demand for our products still...
- Direct Payments to Farmers (Legislative Continuity) Bill (21 Jan 2020)George Eustice: We have had a good and comprehensive debate, with a number of excellent maiden speeches along the way. Many Members talked about the future of agriculture policy after the implementation period. That is a matter for the Agriculture Bill, which was presented to the House last week and will be debated in due course. A number of hon. Members made reference to trade deals and the vital importance...
- Direct Payments to Farmers (Legislative Continuity) Bill (21 Jan 2020)George Eustice: My hon. Friend makes an important point. Obviously, the transitional period is a feature of the Agriculture Bill that we will debate in the coming months. The performance of the Rural Payments Agency was highlighted by the shadow Secretary of State and a number of other hon. Members. I pay tribute to Paul Caldwell, the chief executive of the RPA, and his team for the huge progress that they...
- Written Answers — Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Developing a National Food Strategy Independent Review (21 Jan 2020)George Eustice: The National Food Strategy independent review, led by Henry Dimbleby, was launched in June 2019. A Call for Evidence was held from 17 August 2019 to 25 October 2019. 1979 responses were received and these responses are currently being analysed. Since the review’s launch, Henry and his team have engaged extensively across the food system, academia, industry, civil society and citizens....
- Written Answers — Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Trade Unions (21 Jan 2020)George Eustice: GDPR has not affected the rights of unions in Defra to bargaining information provided under section 181 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992.
- Written Answers — Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Pay (21 Jan 2020)George Eustice: Defra, as with other Government Departments, has an obligation to provide reasonable paid time off to recognised trade union representatives to undertake trade union duties. This includes paid time off for safety representatives as set out in section 3.1.8 of the Civil Service Management Code. Defra Health and Safety representatives can use their paid facility time for the following TU duties...
- Written Answers — Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Agricultural Products: Import Duties (21 Jan 2020)George Eustice: After the UK leaves the EU with on 31 January 2020, we will enter a temporary implementation period which will apply until the end of December 2020. The UK will continue to import goods tariff free from within the EU and will continue to apply the EU’s Common External Tariff to goods imported from outside the EU during this period. At the end of the implementation period the Government...
- Written Answers — Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Farmers: Yorkshire and the Humber (20 Jan 2020)George Eustice: Farmers currently have access to a range of support measures, including direct payments under the CAP. We have published the Agriculture Bill that sets out how we will support the industry as we leave the EU and this includes rewarding farmers for delivering public goods. We would expect farmers in Yorkshire and Humber to participate in the scheme and to be able to apply for the wider...
- Written Answers — Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Horse Racing: Animal Welfare (20 Jan 2020)George Eustice: Defra is keen to ensure that we uphold our high standards of animal welfare including in relation to horseracing. Irresponsible use of the whip is completely unacceptable. The British Horseracing Association (BHA) requires that whips be used responsibly and jockeys may only use the whip within certain strict rules. The BHA policy on the whip was drawn up in consultation with animal welfare...
- Written Answers — Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Pay (20 Jan 2020)George Eustice: This Government is committed to paying people a decent living wage, which is being addressed through the statutory National Living Wage (NLW). In April 2020, the NLW increases to £8.72 per hour. By 2024 the NLW will rise to £10.50 per hour, reaching 66% of median UK earnings. The scope will be expanded to everyone aged 21 and over and is expected to benefit over 4 million low paid workers....
- Written Answers — Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Pay (20 Jan 2020)George Eustice: Defra’s facilities management (FM) contract will not be affected by the announcement on 31 December 2019 of the increase in the National Minimum Wage. This is because we require, and the contract states, that the FM provider will pay the Foundation Living Wage which is already higher than the National Living Wage. As a result there is no need for a contract variation or engagement with the...
- Written Answers — Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Animal Welfare (20 Jan 2020)George Eustice: The Government has committed to bringing in new legislation on animal sentience. Any necessary changes required to domestic law will be made in a rigorous and comprehensive way after we leave the EU. Legislation will be brought forward when Parliamentary time allows.
- Written Answers — Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: European Environment Agency (20 Jan 2020)George Eustice: Our future relationship with the EU is the subject of negotiations. The Government will consider our future working relationship with EU bodies as part of the discussions about our future partnership.
- Written Answers — Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Reindeer: Imports (17 Jan 2020)George Eustice: The information regarding reindeer imports is based on Trade Control and Expert System (TRACES) data. This data is provided by third parties. There have been no recorded imports of reindeer into the United Kingdom from the EU in 2019. The Animal and Plant Health Agency are not able to provide any data regarding the number of imports from third countries. This is because they are covered...
- Written Answers — Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Reindeer: Exports (17 Jan 2020)George Eustice: The number of reindeer and the number of consignments exported from the UK to the EU in 2018 is as follows: Country of Destination Number of Consignments Number of Reindeer France 1 2 There were no exports of reindeer to third countries recorded in 2018. There were no recorded exports of reindeer from the United Kingdom to third countries or EU Member States in 2019. The...
- Written Answers — Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Salmon (17 Jan 2020)George Eustice: To increase salmon stocks throughout England, the Environment Agency (EA) recently published a new programme of action in the England and Wales North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organisation (NASCO) Implementation Plan 2019-2024. In 2018, 10,328 salmon were caught by net fisheries in England. In 2019 the EA made a number of changes to reduce the exploitation of salmon by closing all major...
- Written Answers — Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Livestock: Exports (17 Jan 2020)George Eustice: We have a manifesto commitment to end excessively long journeys for live animals going for slaughter and fattening once we leave the EU. We will shortly consult on how we deliver on that commitment and look forward to inviting views on the criteria that will be used to define an excessively long journey.
- Written Ministerial Statements — Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: December Agriculture and Fisheries Council (16 Jan 2020)George Eustice: I represented the UK at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council in Brussels on 16, 17 and 18 December. On fisheries, the focus of the Council was EU quota negotiations, involving decisions on fishing opportunities for the next year for quota stocks in the North Sea, Atlantic, the English Channel, Irish and Celtic Seas. Fishing opportunities are set under the rules of the reformed Common...
