Public Bill Committee Proceedings: 5 March 2020            

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Agriculture Bill, continued

(4)    

The report under subsection (1) shall include an analysis of the impact on each

factor under subsection (3)—

(a)    

in each region of England, and

(b)    

in each agricultural sector, within the meaning given in Schedule 1.

(5)    

The Secretary of State shall, no later than three months after the report under

subsection (1) has been laid, open a public consultation on—

(a)    

the report laid under subsection (1) and any conclusions which it might

draw or proposals which it might contain, and

(b)    

the merits of establishing a sector negotiating body to be responsible for

setting on an annual basis minimum—

(i)    

living standards,

(ii)    

pay,

(iii)    

conditions of employment, and

(iv)    

standards and terms of accommodation for agricultural workers.

(6)    

“Agricultural worker” shall, for the purposes of this section, be taken to mean any

person engaged in—

(a)    

agriculture, as defined in section 109 of the Agriculture Act 1947, or

(b)    

forestry.”

Daniel Zeichner

Luke Pollard

Ruth Jones

Dr Alan Whitehead

Thangam Debbonaire

Negatived on division  NC20

To move the following Clause—

“Monitoring pesticide use and alternatives

(1)    

The Secretary of State must, within six months of Royal Assent being given to

this Act, publish proposals—

(a)    

to monitor the use and effects of pesticides in the management of

livestock or land, to conduct research into alternative methods of pest

control and to promote their take-up,

(b)    

to conduct research into alternative methods of pest control and to

promote their take-up, and

(c)    

to consult on a target to reduce the use of pesticides.

(2)    

The proposals shall include steps to measure—

(a)    

the effect of pesticides on environmental health,

(b)    

the effect of pesticides on human health,

(c)    

the frequency with which individual pesticides are applied,

(d)    

the areas to which individual pesticides are applied, and

(e)    

the take-up of alternative methods of pest control by land use and sector.

(3)    

“Environmental health” in subsection (2)(a) includes the health of flora, fauna,

land, air or any inland water body.

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Agriculture Bill, continued

(4)    

“Human health” in subsection (2)(b) means the health of farmers, farmworkers

and their families, operators, bystanders, rural residents and the general public.”

Daniel Zeichner

Luke Pollard

Ruth Jones

Dr Alan Whitehead

Thangam Debbonaire

Negatived on division  NC21

To move the following Clause—

“Licences to cull badgers for control of tuberculosis: repeal

(1)    

No licence may be granted to kill or take badgers, or to interfere with a badger

sett, for the purpose of preventing the spread of bovine tuberculosis.

(2)    

Sub-paragraph (1)(g) of section 10 of the Protection of Badgers Act 1992 is

accordingly amended by omitting “disease” and substituting “any disease other

than bovine tuberculosis.””

Daniel Zeichner

Luke Pollard

Ruth Jones

Dr Alan Whitehead

Thangam Debbonaire

Not called  NC22

To move the following Clause—

“Consultation on regulatory framework: enforcement

(1)    

The Secretary of State must, within one calendar month of this Act being given

Royal Assent, open a consultation on what body should regulate and enforce the

regulatory framework under section [Duty and regulations governing

agricultural and horticultural activity].

(2)    

The consultation shall seek views on whether an existing body should carry out

the regulation and enforcement under subsection (1) or whether a new body

should be created for that purpose.

(3)    

The Secretary of State must, in any consultation under subsection (1), consult

with persons or bodies representing persons who he or she considers are affected

by the functions of the proposed body.

(4)    

The Secretary of State must lay before both Houses of Parliament—

(a)    

in summary form, the views expressed in the consultation held under

subsection (1), and

(b)    

a statement of how the Secretary of State intends to proceed, with his or

her reasons for doing so.”

Public Bill Committee Proceedings: 5 March 2020            

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Agriculture Bill, continued

Luke Pollard

Daniel Zeichner

Ruth Jones

Dr Alan Whitehead

Thangam Debbonaire

Not called  NC23

To move the following Clause—

“Consultation on financial assistance schemes and multi-annual financial

assistance plans

(1)    

Prior to framing any financial assistance scheme under section 1 or to preparing

a multi-annual financial assistance plan under section 4, the Secretary of State

must carry out a consultation on the design of the scheme and how it relates to the

Government’s strategic priorities for giving financial assistance.

(2)    

In the consultation under subsection (1), the Secretary of State must consult—

(a)    

such persons, or representatives of such persons, as appear to the

Secretary of State to be representative of interests substantially affected

by the scheme,

(b)    

such persons, or representatives of such persons, as appear to the

Secretary of State likely to apply for financial assistance,

(c)    

any relevant authority under section [Consultation on giving of financial

assistance],

(d)    

such other persons or bodies as the Secretary of State considers

appropriate.”

Luke Pollard

Daniel Zeichner

Ruth Jones

Dr Alan Whitehead

Thangam Debbonaire

Not called  NC24

To move the following Clause—

“Consultation on giving of financial assistance

(1)    

Financial assistance under section 1 may only be given to a person following

consultation with—

(a)    

the relevant authority under subsection (3) for the area in which land for

which financial assistance being claimed is situated,

(b)    

the owner, or representative of an owner, of any land adjacent to that for

which financial assistance is being claimed,

(c)    

any water undertaker under section 6 of the Water Industry Act 1991

whose area includes land for which financial assistance is being claimed,

(d)    

such persons, or representatives of such persons, as appear to the

Secretary of State to be representative of interests substantially affected

by the giving of the financial assistance,

(e)    

such other persons or bodies as the Secretary of State considers

appropriate.

(2)    

The consultation under subsection (1) may seek views on—

(a)    

the amount of financial assistance to be given to a person,

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Agriculture Bill, continued

(b)    

the purposes for which a person is to be given the financial assistance,

(c)    

the outcomes which the person in receipt of financial assistance should

be expected to deliver, and

(d)    

the potential for giving financial assistance in connection with a third

party scheme under section 2(5).

(3)    

For the purposes of this section and section [Consultation on financial assistance

schemes and multi-annual financial assistance plans], a “relevant authority” is—

(a)    

a parish council, or

(b)    

where there is not a parish council—

(i)    

a principal authority in an area with a single tier of local

government as defined by section 1 of the Local Government and

Public Involvement in Health Act 2007, or

(ii)    

a district council or London Borough Council in an area other

than in subsection (3)(b)(i).”

Daniel Zeichner

Luke Pollard

Ruth Jones

Dr Alan Whitehead

Thangam Debbonaire

Withdrawn after debate  NC25

To move the following Clause—

“Consultation on administration

(1)    

The Secretary of State must, within one calendar month of this Act being given

Royal Assent, open a consultation on what body should administer—

(a)    

any payment of financial assistance under section 1,

(b)    

any check, enforcement, monitoring or investigation in connection with

the giving of financial assistance, under subsection (1) of section 3,

(c)    

any payment under the basic payment scheme, within the meaning of

section 7,

(d)    

any delinked payment within the meaning of section 12,

(e)    

any other form of financial assistance which may be given under this Act,

and

(f)    

any environmental land management scheme established in connection

with the provisions of this Act.

(2)    

The consultation shall seek views on whether an existing body should administer

the functions under subsection (1) or whether a new body should be created for

that purpose.

(3)    

The Secretary of State must, in any consultation under subsection (1), consult

with persons or bodies representing persons who he or she considers are affected

by the functions of the proposed administrative body, or who—

(a)    

are engaged in production of any product falling within an agricultural

sector under Schedule 1, or

(b)    

manage land for a purpose other than production of any product falling

within an agricultural sector under Schedule 1.

(4)    

The Secretary of State must lay before both Houses of Parliament—

(a)    

in summary form, the views expressed in the consultation held under

subsection (1), and

Public Bill Committee Proceedings: 5 March 2020            

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Agriculture Bill, continued

(b)    

a statement of how the Secretary of State intends to proceed, with his or

her reasons for doing so.”

Daniel Zeichner

Luke Pollard

Ruth Jones

Dr Alan Whitehead

Thangam Debbonaire

Not called  NC26

To move the following Clause—

“Smallholdings estates: land management

(1)    

A smallholdings authority which immediately before the commencement of Part

1 of this Act holds any land for the purposes of smallholdings shall review the

authority’s smallholdings estate and shall, before the end of the period of eighteen

months beginning with the commencement of Part 1 of this Act, submit to the

Secretary of State proposals with respect to the future management of that estate

for the purposes of—

(a)    

providing opportunities for persons to be farmers on their own account;

(b)    

providing education or experience in environmental land management

practices;

(c)    

providing opportunities for increasing public access to the natural

environment and understanding of sustainable farming;

(d)    

contributing to a mitigation of climate change, including a reduction in

greenhouse gas emissions,

(e)    

providing support for innovative food production techniques (including

techniques which do not involve management of land), and

(f)    

providing opportunities for innovation in sustainable land management

practices.

(2)    

No land held by a smallholdings authority as a smallholding immediately before

commencement of Part 1 of this Act is to be conveyed, transferred, leased or

otherwise disposed of otherwise than—

(a)    

in connection with the purposes listed in subsection (1); and

(b)    

in accordance with proposals submitted under subsection (1).

(3)    

For the purposes of this section, “smallholdings authority” has the same meaning

as in section 38 of the Agriculture Act 1970.”

Public Bill Committee Proceedings: 5 March 2020            

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Agriculture Bill, continued

Daniel Zeichner

Luke Pollard

Ruth Jones

Dr Alan Whitehead

Thangam Debbonaire

Withdrawn after debate  NC27

To move the following Clause—

“Agriculture Co-ordination Council

(1)    

There shall be an Agricultural Co-ordination Council composed of—

(a)    

the Secretary of State, or representatives of the Secretary of State,

(b)    

Scottish Ministers, or representatives of Scottish Ministers,

(c)    

Welsh Ministers, or representatives of Welsh Ministers, and

(d)    

DAERA.

(2)    

The Council shall establish a common framework to monitor any disparities

within the United Kingdom—

(a)    

in standards of food production;

(b)    

arising from the exercise of powers to give financial assistance for any

purpose which may be specified;

(c)    

arising from the power to make payments under the basic payment

scheme or to make delinked payments; and

(d)    

in marketing standards.

(3)    

The Council shall review any framework established under subsection (2) at least

once in each calendar year, and may amend a framework.”

Daniel Zeichner

Luke Pollard

Ruth Jones

Dr Alan Whitehead

Thangam Debbonaire

Withdrawn after debate  NC28

To move the following Clause—

“Agricultural co-operatives

(1)    

The Secretary of State must promote agricultural co-operatives by—

(a)    

offering financial assistance for the creation or development of

agricultural co-operatives, and

(b)    

establishing bodies to provide practical support and guidance for the

development of new co-operatives.

(2)    

The Secretary of State shall examine any proposal for primary or secondary

legislation to assess—

(a)    

its impact upon agricultural co-operatives, and

(b)    

whether that impact is disproportionate in relation to its impact upon

other producer organisations or interbranch organisations.

(3)    

Financial assistance under subsection (1) may be given by way of grant, loan or

guarantee, or in any other form.

(4)    

An organisation shall be recognised as an agricultural co-operative if it meets the

conditions in subsections (5) and (6).

Public Bill Committee Proceedings: 5 March 2020            

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Agriculture Bill, continued

(5)    

Condition 1 is that the organisation—

(a)    

is registered with the Financial Conduct Authority as a co-operative, or

(b)    

is constituted under the Co-operatives and Community Benefit Societies

Act 2014.

(6)    

Condition 2 is that the organisation—

(a)    

operates in a sector which is listed in Schedule 1 to this Act, and

(b)    

includes at least one member which is an agricultural or horticultural

producer.

(7)    

The Secretary of State may by regulations make provision specifying the criteria

under which financial assistance under subsection (1)(a) may be offered.

(8)    

Regulations under subsection (7) are subject to the negative resolution

procedure.”

Daniel Zeichner

Luke Pollard

Ruth Jones

Dr Alan Whitehead

Thangam Debbonaire

Negatived on division  NC29

To move the following Clause—

“Carbon emissions: net-zero

(1)    

When considering the provision of financial assistance under sections 1(1) and

1(2) of this Act, the Secretary of State shall ensure that the likely impact of that

funding is compatible with the achievement of any emissions reduction target set

out in subsection (2).

(2)    

It is the duty of the Secretary of State to—

(a)    

within six months of this Bill receiving Royal Assent, publish

greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets for agricultural soil,

livestock, peatland and machinery, for the year 2030, which are

consistent with an emissions reduction trajectory that would eliminate

the substantial majority of the UK’s total greenhouse gas emissions by

2030, and

(b)    

ensure that the targets are met.

(3)    

The Secretary of State must, within twelve months of this Bill receiving Royal

Assent, publish a statement of the policies to be delivered in order to meet the

emissions reduction targets published under subsection (2).

(4)    

In this section “soil”, “livestock”, “peatland” and “machinery” shall all relate to

that used, owned, or operated in the process of farming or any other agricultural

activity.”