Session 2019-21
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Consideration of Bill (Report Stage): 13 May 2020          

8

 

Agriculture Bill, continued

 
 

(4)    

Regulations under this section are subject to affirmative resolution procedure.”

 

Member’s explanatory statement

 

See explanatory statement for Amendment 30.

 


 

Stephen Farry

 

Colum Eastwood

 

Claire Hanna

 

Caroline Lucas

 

Daisy Cooper

 

nc9

 

To move the following Clause—

 

         

“Duration of provision in relation to Northern Ireland

 

(1)    

Section 45 and Schedule 6 expire at the end of 2026.

 

(2)    

Regulations made under paragraph 8(1) of Schedule 6 (power to modify retained

 

direct EU legislation relating to public market intervention and private storage

 

aid) cease to have effect at the end of 2026 (so that any amendment made by them

 

ceases to have effect and any enactment repealed by them is revived).

 

But see subsections (4) and (5) for saving provision.

 

(3)    

Otherwise, subsection (1) does not affect the continuation in force or effect of any

 

regulations made, or other thing done, by virtue of Schedule 6 before the end of

 

2026.

 

(4)    

Despite subsections (1) and (2), paragraph 7 of Schedule 6, and regulations made

 

under paragraph 8(1) of that Schedule, continue to have effect in relation to any

 

period which ends after the end of 2026 and for which DAERA is giving, or has

 

agreed to give, financial assistance under paragraph 7 of Schedule 6.

 

(5)    

Subsection (2) does not affect the lawfulness of anything done in accordance with

 

retained direct EU legislation as modified by regulations made under paragraph

 

8(1) of Schedule 6 before those regulations cease to have effect.

 

(6)    

DAERA may by regulations make transitional, transitory or saving provision in

 

connection with this section.

 

(7)    

The provision which may be made by virtue of subsection (6) includes provision

 

modifying primary legislation, retained direct EU legislation or subordinate

 

legislation.

 

(8)    

Regulations under this section which contain provision modifying primary

 

legislation (with or without other provision) are subject to affirmative resolution

 

procedure.

 

(9)    

Other regulations under this section are subject to negative resolution procedure.”

 

Member’s explanatory statement

 

This new clause is designed to introduce a sunset clause so that provisions relating to Northern

 

Ireland are timebound, whilst allowing suitable time for the for the development of bespoke

 

legislation within the next Assembly term and taking into account disruptions in future planning

 

as a result of the Covid19 crisis.

 



 
 

Consideration of Bill (Report Stage): 13 May 2020          

9

 

Agriculture Bill, continued

 
 

Tim Farron

 

Layla Moran

 

Munira Wilson

 

Sarah Olney

 

Daisy Cooper

 

Sir Edward Davey

Christine Jardine

Alistair Carmichael

Wera Hobhouse

Jamie Stone

Wendy Chamberlain

 

nc10

 

To move the following Clause—

 

         

“International trade agreements covering agricultural goods: standards and    

 

approval

 

(1)    

A Minister of the Crown may not lay a copy of an international trade agreement

 

before Parliament under section 20(1) of the Constitutional Reform and

 

Governance Act 2010 unless the agreement meets the conditions in subsections

 

(2) and (3).

 

(2)    

The condition in this subsection is that the agreement prohibits the importation

 

into the United Kingdom of any agricultural product unless the standards to

 

which that product was produced were as high as, or higher than, standards which

 

at the time of import applied under UK law relating to—

 

(a)    

animal welfare,

 

(b)    

protection of the environment,

 

(c)    

employment rights, and

 

(d)    

food safety.

 

(3)    

The condition in this subsection is that—

 

(a)    

upon conclusion of the negotiations on the agreement, the text of any

 

element of the agreement which concerns trade in agricultural products

 

has been laid before Parliament,

 

(b)    

the House of Commons has approved by resolution a motion moved by a

 

Minister of the Crown which approves the text of any element which

 

concerns trade in agricultural products, and

 

(c)    

the House of Lords has debated a motion in the same terms as that

 

approved by the House of Commons.

 

(4)    

A motion under subsection (3)(b) shall be framed in terms which permit

 

amendment.

 

(5)    

For the purposes of this section—

 

“agriculture product” shall mean any product which falls within an agricultural

 

sector listed in Schedule 1 or which is derived from any such product,

 

“international trade agreement” means—

 

(a)    

an agreement that is or was notifiable under—

 

(i)    

paragraph 7(a) of Article XXIV of the General Agreement on

 

Tariffs and Trade, part of Annex 1A to the agreement

 

establishing the World Trade Organisation signed at Marrakesh

 

on 15 April 1994 (the WTO Agreement) (as modified from time

 

to time), or

 

(ii)    

paragraph 7(a) of Article V of the General Agreement on Trade

 

in Services, part of Annex 1B to the WTO Agreement (as

 

modified from time to time), or

 

(b)    

an international agreement that mainly relates to trade, other than an

 

agreement mentioned in sub-paragraph (i) or (ii);


 
 

Consideration of Bill (Report Stage): 13 May 2020          

10

 

Agriculture Bill, continued

 
 

    

“Minister of the Crown” has the same meaning as in the Ministers of the Crown

 

Act 1975.”

 


 

Tracey Crouch

 

Sir Roger Gale

 

Henry Smith

 

Caroline Lucas

 

NC11

 

To move the following Clause—

 

         

“Mandatory labelling of animal products as to farming method

 

(1)    

The Secretary of State shall make regulations requiring meat, meat products,

 

milk, milk products and egg products (including those produced intensively

 

indoors) to be labelled as to the method of farming.

 

(2)    

The labelling required under subsection (1) shall be placed on the front outer

 

surface of the packaging and shall be in easily visible and clearly legible type.

 

(3)    

Regulations under subsection (1) shall (among other things) lay down—

 

(a)    

the labelling term to be used for each product;

 

(b)    

the conditions that must be met for the use of each labelling term.

 

(4)    

Regulations under subsection (1) may exclude from the labelling requirement

 

products containing meat, meat products, milk, milk products or egg products

 

where the total proportion by weight of one or more of these items in the product

 

is less than fifteen percent.

 

(5)    

Regulations under this section are subject to affirmative resolution procedure.”

 

Member’s explanatory statement

 

This new clause would require the Secretary of State to make labelling regulations that require

 

meat, meat products, milk and milk products, and egg products, including those which have been

 

produced intensively, to be labelled as to farming method. Eggs are not included as legislation

 

already requires eggs to be labelled as to farming method.

 


 

Deidre Brock

 

NC12

 

To move the following Clause—

 

         

“International trade agreements: agricultural and food products (No. 2)

 

(1)    

A Minister of the Crown may not lay a copy of an international trade agreement

 

before Parliament under section 20(1) of the Constitutional Reform and

 

Governance Act 2010 unless the agreement—

 

(a)    

includes an affirmation of the United Kingdom’s rights and obligations

 

under the SPS Agreement, and

 

(b)    

prohibits the importation into the United Kingdom of agricultural and

 

food products in relation to which the relevant standards are lower than

 

the relevant standards in the United Kingdom.

 

(2)    

In subsection (1)—

 

“international trade agreement” means—

 

(a)    

an agreement that is or was notifiable under—


 
 

Consideration of Bill (Report Stage): 13 May 2020          

11

 

Agriculture Bill, continued

 
 

(i)    

paragraph 7(a) of Article XXIV of General Agreement

 

on Tariffs and Trade, part of Annex 1A to the WTO

 

(i)    

Agreement (as modified from time to time), or

 

(ii)    

paragraph 7(a) of Article V of General Agreement on

 

Trade in Services, part of Annex 1B to the WTO

 

Agreement (as modified from time to time), or

 

(b)    

an international agreement that mainly relates to trade, other than

 

an agreement mentioned in subparagraph (i) or (ii);

 

“Minister of the Crown” has the same meaning as in the Ministers of the

 

Crown Act 1975;

 

“relevant standards” means standards relating to environmental protection,

 

plant health and animal welfare applying in connection with the

 

production of agricultural and food products;

 

“SPS Agreement” means the agreement on the Application of Sanitary and

 

Phytosanitary Measures, part of Annex 1A to the WTO Agreement (as

 

modified from time to time);

 

“WTO Agreement” means the agreement establishing the World Trade

 

Organisation signed at Marrakesh on 15 April 1994.”

 


 

Caroline Lucas

 

NC13

 

To move the following Clause—

 

         

“Public procurement

 

When procuring and providing food, the Government, its agencies and other

 

public bodies must promote the highest standards of animal welfare.”

 

Member’s explanatory statement

 

This new clause creates a provision akin to section 15(5)(c)(ii) of the Procurement Reform

 

(Scotland) Act 2014 which requires the procurement strategy of public bodies `to “promote the

 

highest standards of animal welfare”.

 


 

Caroline Lucas

 

NC14

 

To move the following Clause—

 

         

“Carbon emissions: net-zero and interim targets

 

(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) or (3)

 

(2)    

It is the duty of the Secretary of State to—

 

(a)    

set an emissions reduction target for the net UK carbon account for

 

agriculture and related land use for the year 2050 which is at least 100%

 

lower than the 1990 baseline, and

 

(b)    

ensure that the target is met.


 
 

Consideration of Bill (Report Stage): 13 May 2020          

12

 

Agriculture Bill, continued

 
 

(3)    

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

 

Assent, publish interim emissions reductions targets for agriculture and related

 

land use that align with budgetary periods as they relate to carbon budgets.

 

(4)    

It is the duty of the Secretary of State to ensure that the net UK carbon account

 

for agriculture and related land use for a budgetary period does not exceed any

 

interim emissions reduction target published under subsection (3).

 

(5)    

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

 

interim emissions reduction targets published under subsection (3).

 

(6)    

In this section—

 

(a)    

“net UK carbon account” shall have the meaning given in section 27 of

 

the Climate Change Act 2008, and

 

(b)    

“budgetary periods” and “carbon budgets” shall have the meaning given

 

in section 4 of the Climate Change Act 2008.”

 

Member’s explanatory statement

 

This new clause would set a target of net-zero green-house gas emissions for agriculture and

 

related land use in the UK by 2050 at the latest. It would place a duty on the Secretary of State to

 

publish interim emissions reduction targets – and policy proposals to ensure those targets are met.

 


 

Bill Wiggin

 

NC15

 

Parliamentary Star - white    

To move the following Clause—

 

         

“Definition of grass-fed products

 

(1)    

Regulations under section 35(1) shall enable the provision described in

 

subsection (2) of this section.

 

(2)    

A product which is partly or wholly derived from an animal may only be

 

described as grass-fed if the animal or animals have eaten only grass and pasture

 

throughout their lifetime, with the exception of milk consumed by youngstock

 

prior to weaning.

 

(3)    

For the purposes of subsection (2), “pasture” includes—

 

(a)    

permanent pasture and long and short term leys which may be part of a

 

mixed farming system, and

 

(b)    

hay, silage derived from grass not grain, forage and naturally occurring

 

vegetation in the grassland including legumes and other forbs, and

 

woody species.”

 

Member’s explanatory statement

 

This new clause would protect the definition of grass-fed, certifying that livestock and food

 

products labelled as grass-fed are fully raised on pasture.

 

 


 

Keir Starmer

 

Luke Pollard

 

Daniel Zeichner

 

Emily Thornberry

 

Mary Glindon

 

26

 

Clause  1,  page  2,  line  9,  at end insert—


 
 

Consideration of Bill (Report Stage): 13 May 2020          

13

 

Agriculture Bill, continued

 
 

“(aa)    

supporting agriculture and horticulture businesses in enabling public

 

access to healthy food that is farmed in an environmentally sustainable

 

way, including food produced through whole farm agroecological

 

systems.”

 

Member’s explanatory statement

 

This amendment would add to the purposes for which financial assistance can be given that of

 

ensuring access to healthy food produced sustainably including through whole farm

 

agroecological systems.

 

Keir Starmer

 

Luke Pollard

 

Daniel Zeichner

 

Emily Thornberry

 

Mary Glindon

 

Caroline Lucas

 

27

 

Clause  1,  page  2,  line  13,  at end insert—

 

“(ca)    

improving public health;”

 

Member’s explanatory statement

 

This amendment would add “improving public health” to the list of purposes for financial

 

assistance given under clause 1, with ‘improving public health’ defined in Amendment 29.

 

Sir Edward Leigh

 

3

 

Clause  1,  page  2,  leave out lines 19 and 20 and insert—

 

“(g)    

protecting or improving the management of landscapes and biodiversity

 

through pasture-fed grazing livestock systems including the conservation

 

of native livestock, native equines or genetic resources relating to any

 

such animal;”

 

Sir Edward Leigh

 

Caroline Lucas

 

2

 

Clause  1,  page  2,  line  25,  at end insert—

 

“(k)    

protecting or improving the health, well-being and food security of

 

citizens.”

 

Kerry McCarthy

 

Caroline Lucas

 

18

 

Clause  1,  page  2,  line  25,  at end insert—

 

“(k)    

establishing and maintaining whole farm agroecological systems.”

 

Tim Farron

 

Layla Moran

 

Munira Wilson

 

Sarah Olney

 

Daisy Cooper

 

Sir Edward Davey

Christine Jardine

Alistair Carmichael

Wera Hobhouse

Jamie Stone

Wendy Chamberlain

 

36

 

Clause  1,  page  2,  line  25,  at end insert—


 
 

Consideration of Bill (Report Stage): 13 May 2020          

14

 

Agriculture Bill, continued

 
 

“(k)    

supporting upland landscapes and communities”

 

Keir Starmer

 

Luke Pollard

 

Daniel Zeichner

 

Emily Thornberry

 

Mary Glindon

 

28

 

Clause  1,  page  3,  line  6,  at end insert—

 

““environmentally sustainable way” means in a way which employs factors

 

and practices that contribute to the quality of environment on a long-term

 

basis and avoids the depletion of natural resources.”

 

Member’s explanatory statement

 

This amendment defines “environmentally sustainable way” for the purposes of clause 1(4) and

 

Amendment 26.

 

Keir Starmer

 

Luke Pollard

 

Daniel Zeichner

 

Emily Thornberry

 

Mary Glindon

 

Caroline Lucas

 

29

 

Clause  1,  page  3,  line  12,  at end insert—

 

““improving public health” includes—

 

(a)    

increasing the availability, affordability, diversity, quality and

 

marketing of fruit, vegetables and pulses,

 

(b)    

reducing farm antibiotic and related veterinary product use, and

 

antibiotic resistance in harmful micro-organisms, through

 

improved animal health and welfare,

 

(c)    

providing support for farmers to diversify out of domestic

 

production of foods where there may be reduced demand due to

 

public concerns over issues such as health, environment, and

 

animal welfare, and

 

(d)    

reducing harm from use of chemicals on farms, and reducing

 

pesticide residues in food;”

 

Member’s explanatory statement

 

See explanatory statement for Amendment 27.

 

Kerry McCarthy

 

Caroline Lucas

 

19

 

Clause  1,  page  3,  line  17,  at end insert—

 

““whole farm agroecological systems” include any whole enterprise system

 

for farming or land management which is designed to produce food or

 

fuel while delivering environmental and social benefits, and may include

 

organic farming.”

 



 
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Revised 13 May 2020