Speeches by Dyke.

“Off-road bikes are often used illegally across private farmland, causing damage to crops, spooking animals and leaving farmers feeling scared and vulnerable. While the Crime and Policing Bill includes a provision to make it easier for the police to seize vehicles associated with antisocial behaviour, Avon and Somerset …”

“Somerset is home to some iconic film locations such as Glastonbury Tor, which featured in “The Kid Who Would Be King”; Montacute House, which featured in “Wolf Hall” and “Sense and Sensibility”; and Wells, where “Hot Fuzz” was filmed. What steps is the Minister taking to ensure that the film industry in the UK thrives …”

“The recent no-notice closure of the special care baby unit and maternity unit at Yeovil district hospital has shocked residents across Glastonbury and Somerton. A soon-to-be first-time dad from Martock told me: “We are now left in this limbo state as the local NHS trust takes care of its poor management affairs”. He is…”

“My hon. Friend is right: there is no doubt that the Government have a really difficult job to clear up the mess left by the Conservative Government, but there have been far too many erroneous decisions and policy disasters already. For example, Matthew from North Brewham has run his small business for the last 28 years…”

“Excuse me, Madam Deputy Speaker. Does my hon. Friend agree that we need a fundamental overhaul of the harmful business rates system so that small businesses in rural areas can survive and succeed?”

“My hon. Friend talks about rural businesses. Ollie, a constituent of mine in Glastonbury and Somerton, works in video editing and depends on fast and symmetrical broadband to be able to transfer his files, but his rural community is reliant on outdated copper infrastructure that severely restricts the upload speeds. De…”

“The hon. Gentleman talks about the impact on people. A small business in Fifehead in my constituency has recently had to reduce its staff by four—small business, real impact. Small businesses create so much for our rural economy. Does he agree that the Government should scrap the national insurance contributions rise a…”

“My hon. Friend talks about U-turns. Does she agree that the Government should also reverse the family farm tax?”

“A lot of the EPR fees are going to go to local authorities. What assurances can you give me that that money will be ringfenced to make sure that it is spent on waste-related activities?”

“It feels that there needs to be some really proactive support for some of these farmers who will have just closed the door on it and assumed that there was not any funding. My issue here is that, despite it being reopened, some of these farmers are going to be severely disadvantaged over the course of the last couple o…”

“That is not going to squeeze future budgets.”

“I picked up on something you said a minute ago. You said that many farmers will be eligible going forward into the next schemes. Can you clarify? When you say “many farmers”, is that all farmers, or are there going to be certain different eligibilities?”

“You do not think that any particular sector will be disadvantaged in any future schemes.”

“The closure of the SFI means that there is no support for land being entered into organic conversion for the first time for 30 years. This support was only transferred outside of the countryside stewardship scheme just several months before. Does the Department continue to support organic farming and will you reinstate…”

“I am going to be very clear about the organic conversion, because that is the next step that many farmers will be wanting to take. It takes three years to convert to organic. You will be continuing to support that conversion to organic farming and that certification.”

“I am very keen to get an answer that you will be supporting organic farmers and those who wish to transition to organic farming in the future.”

“Just moving back to animal welfare in the countryside, we are seeing a huge rise in illegal gangs, hare coursing, badger baiting and trespassing on farmers’ land, coupled with, at the same time, a reduction in rural crime units. In Somerset, for example, we have four officers in the rural crime unit. Quite often, they …”

“On the back of that, this is great stuff, but if the global plastics treaty does not have a legally binding target attached, will that be a failure?”

“Glass is a highly recyclable material. Particularly in my constituency of Glastonbury and Somerton, I have lots of traditional cider makers and brewers. I will not list them all, because there are so many of them. They are really worried about the impact that EPR is going to have on their business and about the delay. …”

“I am really pleased to see that around 3,000 SFI applicants are now going to be eligible, but these farmers have been left in the lurch. There have been considerable mistakes that should not have happened. Farming takes long-term planning. During the last couple of months those farmers have been severely disadvantaged …”