House of Commons vote threatens to undermine food and animal welfare standards in Wales

Local Liberal Democrats were dismayed that Conservative MPs Simon Hart and Stephen Crabb on 12 October voted against amendments to the Agriculture Bill which would have protected the current Welsh food and animal welfare standards. This opens up the prospect of inferior food and animal welfare standards being introduced through any future trade deal such as with the United States.

Alistair Cameron, Welsh Liberal Democrat Senedd Candidate for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, said:-

“The amendments were introduced to protect food quality standards, environmental and animal welfare standards, and to ensure that our local farmers can continue to produce the high quality food for which they are rightly renowned. There is now a real threat of our food standards being undercut by future imports of low-quality, low-standard food in future trade deals.”

Tina Roberts, Welsh Liberal Democrat Senedd Spokesperson for Preseli Pembrokeshire, added:

“The Internal Market Bill, currently before Parliament, allows the UK Government to force Wales to accept lower food standards as part of a UK trade deal. This means that the Senedd’s power to set standards of food quality and animal welfare will no longer be set in Wales.”

Alistair and Tina have written to the two MPs expressing dismay at their vote against the amendments in spite of the Conservative Party manifesto pledge to protect food quality and animal welfare standards. They have asked what action they will take to ensure food and animal welfare standards are maintained and that local farmers will not be undercut by low-quality imports.

Copy of letter sent by Welsh Liberal Democrats leader, Jane Dodds, sent to all Welsh Conservative MP’s

                                                           Jane Dodds | Leader
Welsh Liberal Democrats
Brunel House, 2 Fitzalan Road,
Cardiff, CF24 0EB
leder@welshlibdems.org.uk

All Welsh Conservative MPs
House of Commons
London
SW1A 0AA

Tuesday 13th October 2020

Dear Welsh Conservative MPs,

SUPPORTING WELSH FARMERS

On 12th October you, along with every other Welsh Conservative MP, voted against a number of amendments to the Agriculture Bill, proposed by the House of Lords, whose effect would have been to ban the import of food with lower standards than those currently in force. The amendments aimed to protect food quality standards, environmental and animal welfare standards, and to ensure that our Welsh farmers can continue to produce the high-quality food for which they are rightly renowned, without the threat of being undercut by future imports of lowquality, low-standard food in future trade deals.

You will of course be aware that the Trade Bill currently before Parliament does not give
Parliament any statutory powers to scrutinise future trade agreements, and indeed that your  Government explicitly chose to reject amendments to the Bill that guaranteed such rights to Parliament.

Moreover, Clauses 2 and 3 of the Internal Market Bill, also currently before Parliament, provide that if Westminster decides, as part of a trade deal, to allow food to be imported into England that does not meet the standards in force in Wales (or in any of the other devolved administrations), we will be forced to accept that lower-quality food regardless of our own legislation. Effectively the Senedd’s powers to set standards for food quality and animal welfare will be bypassed. Those standards will no longer be set in Wales.

You were elected on a manifesto that pledged to guarantee food quality and animal welfare
standards. Yet the Government’s record shows a repeated refusal to accept statutory protections for those standards.

I should therefore be grateful if you could outline what actions you personally intend to take to ensure that food and animal welfare standards in Wales are maintained, and that Welsh farmers do not face being undercut by low-quality imports.

Yours ever
JANE DODDS
Leader, Welsh Liberal Democrats

Alistair Cameron, Senedd Candidate for the Welsh Liberal Democrats Letter to Simon Hart MP

Seabreak

Pleasant Valley

Stepaside

Narberth

SA67 8NY

Rt. Hon. Simon Hart MP

15 St John St.

Whitland

SA34 0AN

14 October 2020

Dear Simon,

Supporting our Local Farmers

On 12 October you voted against a number of amendments to the Agriculture Bill proposed by the House of Lords whose effect would have been to ban the import of food with lower standards than those currently in force. The amendments aimed to protect food quality standards, environmental and animal welfare standards, and to ensure that our local farmers can continue to produce the high quality food for which they are rightly renowned, without the threat of being undercut by future imports of low-quality, low-standard food in future trade deals.

As you know, the Trade Bill currently before Parliament does not give Parliament any statutory powers to scrutinise future trade agreements, and your government rejected amendments to the Bill that guaranteed such rights to Parliament.

Clauses 2 and 3 of the Internal Market Bill, currently before Parliament, provide that if the UK Government currently decides, as part of a trade deal to allow food to be imported into England that does not meet the standards in force in Wales (or any of the devolved administrations), we will be forced to accept that lower-quality food regardless of our own legislation. This means that the Senedd’s power to set standards of food quality and animal welfare will be by-passed. Those standards will no longer be set in Wales.

Your election manifesto pledged to protect food quality and animal welfare standards. However, the government has repeatedly refused to accept statutory protection for those standards.

I would therefore be grateful if you could let me know what actions you will be taking to ensure that food and animal welfare standards are maintained, and to ensure that local farmers do not face being undercut by low-quality imports.

Yours sincerely

Alistair Cameron

Welsh Liberal Democrat Senedd Candidate for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire