Speeches by Eagle.

“I am aware of the potential of these things. I was Procurement Minister at the Treasury very many years ago, so I understand how fragmented the system used to be and what the potential opportunities are if we can get it more strategically focused.”

“It is about price, but it is also about production, productivity and producing food that is nutritious without having to spend as much to do it. Some of that is about input prices. Some of it is about energy prices. It is a very complex issue, but it is certainly one that we have eyes on across Government.”

“We are in the middle of developing a whole string of fair supply chain regulations to try to ensure, without controlling prices, which we have not done in this country for a very long time, that there is supply chain fairness. We have that for dairy. We have it coming in for pigs. We are looking at eggs. I have just an…”

“We try to foster those, with greater success in some contexts than others.”

“No. It is important that we get the SPS stuff under way and see what the requirements are and whether we can get an exception.”

“Absolutely, yes. It is particularly important, given the wide variations in rainfall that we are now seeing, to ensure that farmers can abstract water and have reservoirs on farm so that they can distribute over the year much more effectively. I am well aware of the planning issues that Mr Dewhirst was just talking abo…”

“My understanding is that it is considering how it may move its structures forwards to allow for precision breeding. It has not got anywhere near a regulation on this yet, but the indications are that it is moving in a similar direction to the one that we have already moved in.”

“We are not there yet. We commenced the plant precision breeding regulations in early November, but we are not near to doing the animal ones yet. I do not have anything against it in principle, but we are still not in a situation where we know whether we have an exemption. The EU is moving in a similar position, by the …”

“We agree about that and I would ask you to keep your ear open to what is happening later.”

“That is an issue for the Chancellor. The thing about things like the sugar tax is that they incentivise the food industry to recalibrate the way it makes and produces particular foods to reduce sugar, in this case, and reformulate what it does. There are also issues with salt and other unhealthy ingredients. Working cl…”

“Fair enough.”

“As a matter of course, these issues are devolved. We have to respect devolved issues and that the devolved Administrations may take a different approach and attitude to this. It can sometimes create complications, but the advantage is in devolution itself. Emily, I do not know whether you want to come in.”

“There is going to be a statement this afternoon from MHCLG, which I think you should look at very carefully, which I am quietly pleased about.”

“Yes.”

“Not only no‑alcohol beers, Chair.”

“I deal with the situation as it is in the Department I am in. That is what I am doing.”

“Some of it is about access in poorer areas to food that is affordable. Some of it is about education, as you were talking about, and teaching people how they can cook from scratch. There is often not much time to cook from scratch. Breaking the junk food cycle is also important. Some of that is about incentivising food…”

“It was my pleasure.”

“Certainly on the last part of your question, yes, it is really important. There are some examples of that being done in Scotland as well. A quota has been kept aside for young fishers who are maybe just starting out in the smaller boats before they become captains of very much larger boats in their careers, if they enj…”

“The Government have policy, the policy is decided and supported by the Government, and I am not going to become a commentator on it. My job, as Minister for Farming, is to see what I can do in a positive way to improve the prospects for farming and farmers across the whole system. That is what I am concentrating on: th…”