This week Dr Neil Hudson, MP for Penrith and The Border, took part in an important session of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, which saw the Secretary of State Thérèse Coffey and Permanent Secretary Tamara Finkelstein answering a huge range of questions on the pressing issues of the day.
Dr Hudson was able to tie together many strands of his campaigning and raised the crucially important issues of the UK’s food security following the war in Ukraine; the UK’s biosecurity amid changing international situations and the ongoing Avian Influenza outbreak; and the need to bring back the Government’s Kept Animals Bill to Parliament which has myriad benefits.
Both representing England’s largest and most rural constituency, and as the only Veterinary Surgeon sitting in the House of Commons, Dr Hudson’s expertise is vital to the Committee’s work, having personally instigated official Inquiries into a range of issues from pet abuse and marine mammals to food security and Avian Influenza. He has the highest attendance rate for any MP on the Committee and is a trusted voice on animal health, farming, science and rural affairs.
Speaking afterwards, Dr Neil Hudson, MP for Penrith and The Border, said:
“I thank the Environment Secretary and Permanent Secretary for taking time out of their busy schedules to give evidence before our Committee. As she well knows, a crucial function our Committee is to help make DEFRA as strong as it can be through constructive scrutiny, and so the importance of the session should be lauded.
“It was a privilege to delve into some of the most pressing DEFRA issues as I see them. Foremost among those is Food Security. I am delighted to have secured confirmation of a National Food Security Summit chaired by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at Number 10. Clearly it must be accepted as one of the major issues facing the nation at this time so I’m glad the PM is engaged and treating it with the urgency it deserves.
“On the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill, this will bring in some of the world’s strongest protections for pets, livestock and kept wild animals. This includes introducing a ban on keeping primates as pets and also addressing the unethical trade of puppy smuggling and importation of dogs that have been mutilated with ear cropping. I look forward to supporting this Bill as it continues to progress through Parliament.
“Moreover, I am pleased the Environment Secretary is resolute in her confidence of our biosecurity, is supporting the redevelopment of the APHA’s HQ and her Department is in talks with our European allies about developing an H5N1 Avian Influenza vaccine.
“I look forward to continue supporting DEFRA and making sure its policies work as well as possible for those most affected by them.”
The issues Dr Hudson focused on his line of questioning and the Secretary of State’s responses included:
- The prospect of an annual food security report which the Committee recommended considering the dramatic shift impact that the War in Ukraine has had on European food production and its associated supply chains.
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- The Environment Secretary said there were currently no plans to implement the Committee’s recommendations.
- Seeing the Government’s Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill return to Parliament due to the many health and welfare improvements it would make for UK animals such as stamping out puppy smuggling, tightening zoo regulations and stopping the importation of mutilated animals.
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- The Environment Secretary replied that she is committed to continue delivering Conservative manifesto promises on animal health and welfare.
- Supporting the Animal and Plant Health Agency’s important work protecting the UK’s biosecurity by redeveloping its long-overlooked Weybridge Headquarters.
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- The Environment Secretary reinforced her support for the organisation, stating that work has already started on the project, and she is progressing with it alongside Treasury colleagues.
- Bringing forward a Food Security Summit, chaired by the Prime Minister in Number 10.
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- The Environment Secretary confirmed the Summit will take place in the first half of this year and the Prime Minister will personally Chair the event.
- Supporting food producers amid the worst outbreak of Avian Influenza in terms of control measures, vaccine and compensation reform.
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- The Environment Secretary told the Committee, the vaccine taskforce is meeting regularly and working hard on the issue, and the Permanent Secretary reinforced that active collaboration with European partners is taking place.
- Implementing full border checks for sanitary and phytosanitary products entering Great Britain from the European Union.
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- The Environment Secretary said her Department was alert to biosecurity issues, active conversations are being had at the highest levels of Government, and completed controls will be in place in adequate time.
The full proceedings are available here: www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/f02f8a4e-7af6-40f8-934e-b4ae988c8f56#player-tabs
