Speeches by Riddell-Carpenter.

“Q9. Fertiliser prices are spiralling, and it is not just down to the war in the middle east; it is also because of the choices of the previous Conservative Government, who allowed the UK’s last ammonia plant, based in Billingham, to close in 2023. They failed to see it as a nationally critical site for the UK’s food pr…”

“Jo, this will be best answered by you but feel free to jump in, anyone. In 2023, the last UK plant for producing ammonia closed its doors for the very last time. It was completely mothballed, which means we are now fully dependent on ammonia imports, even though we can produce fertiliser domestically. Of course, that m…”

“My final question: what legislative or operational changes would you like in order to enable the UK to manage the future geopolitical supply shock we are looking at now? Everything we have talked about just now—you acknowledge the constraints that you have and how you are operating within those constraints. What change…”

“You can say that you challenge that from simple mathematics but I would say to you that it is the equations that you choose to look at versus the other consequences of not investing in it. As you are saying, the cost of gas is significant but you are also disregarding a whole set of equations over here and that we are …”

“Did you say in 2023-24?”

“You have been asked twice in this session if you feel that a team of nine is sufficient. You said yes. Do you think it is sufficient for the challenges that lie ahead in the next 18 months?”

“Did you say in 2023-24?”

“You have been asked twice in this session if you feel that a team of nine is sufficient. You said yes. Do you think it is sufficient for the challenges that lie ahead in the next 18 months?”

“Can I challenge you on that? Arguably, similar arguments were put forward for British Steel but ultimately the decision was that as a nation we are better off producing steel in this country rather than being dependent entirely on imports during times of clear economic crisis and global political volatility. I would ar…”

“I challenge that.”

“My final question: what legislative or operational changes would you like in order to enable the UK to manage the future geopolitical supply shock we are looking at now? Everything we have talked about just now—you acknowledge the constraints that you have and how you are operating within those constraints. What change…”

“Mark, I am really concerned that what looms on the horizon is going to be the biggest test to the GCA because we potentially face the biggest crisis in farming that we have seen in a considerably long time. The war in Iran is already having an impact on energy prices. Experts are predicting that the cost inflationary p…”

“You said to my colleague, Juliet, and others earlier that one of your main powers is that of convening in order to enable growers/farmers to negotiate. What does that look like in practice? It is David and Goliath really. If we have British growers and farmers potentially on their knees with the crises they are facing,…”

“What does that fairly look like in practice? Give us an example.”

“Jo, this will be best answered by you but feel free to jump in, anyone. In 2023, the last UK plant for producing ammonia closed its doors for the very last time. It was completely mothballed, which means we are now fully dependent on ammonia imports, even though we can produce fertiliser domestically. Of course, that m…”

“Mark, I am really concerned that what looms on the horizon is going to be the biggest test to the GCA because we potentially face the biggest crisis in farming that we have seen in a considerably long time. The war in Iran is already having an impact on energy prices. Experts are predicting that the cost inflationary p…”

“You said to my colleague, Juliet, and others earlier that one of your main powers is that of convening in order to enable growers/farmers to negotiate. What does that look like in practice? It is David and Goliath really. If we have British growers and farmers potentially on their knees with the crises they are facing,…”

“What does that fairly look like in practice? Give us an example.”

“I want to go back and revisit the conversation we had a moment ago. We are probably not going to agree on this because I have heard what you have said, but I might bring in Rohit to see what he thinks about this. The fundamental problem I have—the challenge—is that your answer to me when I posed that question reinforce…”

“Can I challenge you on that? Arguably, similar arguments were put forward for British Steel but ultimately the decision was that as a nation we are better off producing steel in this country rather than being dependent entirely on imports during times of clear economic crisis and global political volatility. I would ar…”