Speeches by Dyke.

“Excellent, thank you very much.”

“But specifically on bovine TB?”

“One key thing that I have heard over and over is that the IT systems in the APHA, BCMS and LIS do not talk to each other. What consideration have you given to creating one master system database that will help improve tracking?”

“Minister, I want to quickly go back to labelling. I have just hosted a breakfast reception on tackling misinformation in the food industry for animal-derived products. DEFRA has previously consulted on a mandatory method of production labelling and has recognised its importance. Your Government have promised the highes…”

“To give you an example, 13,000 tonnes of butter was dropped into Rotterdam in the summer. It had no point-of-origin labelling on it, so it went into the UK market, undercutting some of our farmers. That is one of the key problems here. We go back to the labelling issue. With the trade deals that are coming through, the…”

“Yes, I am happy to discuss that with you. Thank you.”

“Going back to the power imbalances, there has been quite an extensive debate on whether the scope of the Agricultural Supply Chain Adjudicator should be expanded. Farmers in many sectors, such as pigs and dairy, do not deal with retailers. That is where some of the imbalance comes from, is it not? Farmers deal with the…”

“To be able to farm and not be distracted by trying to advance their business by developing applications for various other sources of funding. At the end of the day, farmers want to produce food. That is what they want to do. Is there merit in the Groceries Code Adjudicator and the Agricultural Supply Chain Adjudicator …”

“Just on that, if you are a small family farm, it is very difficult to run the business and then also manage all sorts of other things when larger farm businesses are going to have access to accountants, advisers and various things. That is where the imbalance is. That is perhaps where we need to ensure appropriate gran…”

“Thirty years have passed since I was there. The Groceries Code Adjudicator’s neutrality is valued by both retailers and suppliers. However, some concerns have been widely expressed around limitations in its effectiveness. Many farmers remain reluctant to report malpractice due to fear of retaliation, including being de…”

“I am very pleased that you went up to Harper Adams, Minister. It is my alma mater. I am not sure the residents of Newport will be terribly keen on a campus being brought into town, given some of the shenanigans that I remember from my days at Harper.”

“Recent media reports highlight the full extent of abuse that women have suffered in the armed forces, highlighting why the recommendations from the Atherton report must be urgently implemented in full. What steps is the Minister taking to remove the barriers to create an environment within our armed forces where women …”

“Earlier this week I met children from Ilchester community primary school. Maeve, who is in year 6, told me her No. 1 concern is the pressure on local businesses. Glastonbury and Somerton has many wonderful hotels and restaurants, like the Hollies in Bower Hinton, but many will face an average rates increase of 76% from…”

“12. What steps he is taking to support the hospitality sector in Glastonbury and Somerton constituency.”

“Yesterday, I hosted a mulled cider event with the National Association of Cider Makers. Cider makers in Glastonbury and Somerton are increasingly focused on survival, as uncertainty grows around future inheritance tax relief. Cider making is uniquely capital-intensive and requires special equipment for milling cider ap…”

“Glastonbury has the highest density of van dwellers in the UK, with around 300 people living in caravans. While some do choose this as a way of life, many are vulnerable or simply cannot afford to pay rent. They deserve a proper roof over their heads, as many of these caravans are simply not fit for accommodation. What…”

“It is a pleasure to speak in this debate. In the 1800s, Britain’s railways unlocked growth and opportunity across the country. A huge network grew, until the Beeching cuts closed roughly a third of it in the 1960s. As a result, many rural communities lost their rail links, forcing reliance on buses and private cars and…”

“The Liberal Democrats have urged the Government to consider exempting pubs from the EPR, and to review the scheme’s scope and timeline to stop further damage to the hospitality sector, which we all know is already struggling. Will she commit to monitoring that progress as the scheme is rolled out so that pubs and the h…”

“In addition, the Woodland Trust warned that removing the border checks would mean losing an important source of data intelligence from the border control posts. How will the access to the EU databases compensate if not enhance the loss of live intelligence gathering currently obtained on the border?”

“Very quickly, sadly, the veterinary profession has a very high rate of death by suicide. Veterinary surgeons are approximately three to four times more likely to die by suicide than the general population. Obviously, farming as well has a terrible suicide rate. What support is being put in place for vets and those with…”