Rt Hon Sir John Redwood MP (Wokingham) (Con): Does the Minister agree that there is no reason why we should not produce 100% of the temperate food that we need? We lost a huge amount of market share when the common agricultural policy was introduced, and some of us want to get that back now that we are out of the CAP. Is it not better to cut the food miles and rely on local jobs and local production?
Victoria Prentis (The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs): It is also a pleasure to talk to my right hon. Friend about these matters. I have also spoken to him many times, in this instance about his plan to boost horticulture, particularly fruit and vegetable production, in his constituency and, indeed, across the nation. Fruit production has fallen to 16% of what we consume nationally, and fruit is one of the very few foodstuffs whose price has risen in comparative terms over the last 10 years when the price of most other foodstuffs has fallen.
February 9, 2022
No plan then.
February 9, 2022
Indeed. Local food production need cheap reliable energy too – for tractors, fertiliser, warming greenhouses, transport, chilling and freezing foods, powering fishing boats and building storage buildings and pack-houses…
Philip Johnson in the Telegraph today:-
“Britain needs a new dash for gas to save us from the lunacy of net zero
Boris will be to blame if energy policy continues down the route of surging prices and rationing”
Indeed he May, Carrie, Hug a huskie Cameron and all MPs (other than about 20 sensible ones) will be responsible . Alas we needed the dash for gas many years ago but better late than never. Yet still few signs of sense. Expensive energy (and deliberate currency devaluation from Sunak) are the main causes of inflation. It affect the costs of everything, renders the UK uncompetitive, destroys who industries, damages the economy and exports jobs. Well done to all those deluded virtue signalling MPs!
February 9, 2022
Also for the food grade CO2 for packing that government now has subsidise. Taxpayers cannot keep subsidising everything!
February 10, 2022
She didn’t answer the question
February 9, 2022
Well quite, Alan – if that is a Ministerial response to a serious question from a highly-respected backbencher, I can only say that one of my exceedingly dim dogs could do better.
February 9, 2022
Not even to grow more plums.
February 9, 2022
Fruit is OK for nutrients and fibre but diabetics are warned off it as it is a source of sugar that is harmful to them. A healthy person can have too much of it for its sugar content.
Whilst we rebuild our post CAP farming we should focus on foodstuffs that are optimally nutritious and seasonal. Here is a chance to get scientific about it.
Solar panels and housing estates on arable land are not the solution. And nor is mass immigration – which eventually produces a lot of old people with the backward ideas they grew up with, whom Andy will eventually grow to dislike too.
February 9, 2022
‘his plan to boost horticulture, particularly fruit and vegetable production, in his constituency’.
Well Sir John the places you could boost fruit and veg are running out fast, and in gardens football nets and trampolines take priority !
February 9, 2022
+many
Yes! Yes!
Trampolines to cabbage patches!!
Hot tubs and basket ball nets to go next.
Rhubarb, carrots, beans….we shall not starve!
And veg is very quiet…….
February 9, 2022
Same here, every bit of land is being built on and now we have 3 local planning applications for vast solar arrays on arable farm land
The government is absolutely nuts allowing these projects when they ate foreign owned and Importing.g panels from China.
February 9, 2022
From what I’ve seen happening to the productive farm land around Wokingham Victoria Prentis was surely speaking in jest!
February 9, 2022
So the prime minister told the House of Commons that crime had fallen by 14 per cent – a claim later denounced as “misleading” by the head of the UK Statistics Authority.
The claim is only true if you exclude fraud, computer and similar crimes – overall crime has actually risen by 14 per cent, according to ONS. Furthermore, in my experience, it is rarely worth reporting many crimes other than for insurance as the police so rarely do anything. Often very reluctant to even take the crime report I have found. So very many crimes are never reported which is doubtless what they want.
February 9, 2022
Isn’t Boris encouraging farmers not to farm, with his idea to pay farmers to re-wild? We have already lost a great deal of good arable land to housing. Does Boris want us to be totally reliant for food on imports? There is no alternative when we have combined mass immigration and rapid loss of farmland.
February 9, 2022
She could at least of have suggested as part of the Tory ‘rewilding’ of our agricultural land, the potential for crab apples, blackberries, rosehips, hazelnuts, chesnuts and a jolly day out via electric bus for winners of the ecoloon of the year contests.
February 9, 2022
No answer given, then.
The reason the civil service do not want to increase temperate food production in the UK is because all agriculture is very difficult to decarbonise and in fact will require energy and hence money to be spent sucking CO2 out of the atmosphere in order to compensate and reach the all important net zero CO2 emissions target.
Quicker to reach Net Zero if we import all our food and (re-)wild the country to absorb CO2.
Food prices and food security are unimportant for Marxists who believe “the ends justifies the means”.
February 9, 2022
So, a non-answer then. The government needs to put food-production as the primary objective of our agricultural policy. It seems that we are only to get more eco-lunacy.
February 9, 2022
No discernable plan.
It would be to our advantage to eat seasonally because we would always be eating fresh and of high quality. Asparagus that has travelled from South America and is available year round is a travesty when compared to home grown in May/June.
Tunnels and greenhouses extend our seasons and are acceptable providing quality is not sacrificed.
The bad UK diet and its consequences are a supermarket product. Control them and you control the problem. Get it right and you reduce the load on the NHS.
February 9, 2022
No reason?
Here’s some reasons.
Government wants to develop agricultural land for housing, occupied with more tax payers. What housing that might be available for farmworkers is sold off for second homes and holiday lets (not that snowflake generation wants to work on a farm).
Lets convert the entire country to an urban sprawl and import cheap food. Like Singapore except much bigger. Happy days down at the Treasury.
February 10, 2022
Well said. Quality of life for the plebs gets no consideration, not does our traditional way of life. We must adopt the lifestyle of our immigrants, especially Halal food which is being forced upon us by stealth, pretty much as the EU was given control of the UK.
February 9, 2022
What does this mean then? What an ****** useless zero information response. Frankly insulting.
February 9, 2022
All ‘tooty fruity’ greenie and vegan then – nothing about the realities of food production in relation to terrain and climate. But yes, Britain could certainly do better, with the right climate (political and economic). But ironically, we grow great Brussel’s sprouts!
February 9, 2022
Food production in the UK requires cheap reliable energy to compete – so very good to hear that:- The UK-based JET laboratory has increased its own record for the amount of energy it can extract through deuterium fusion. The experiments produced 59 megajoules of energy over five seconds (11 megawatts of power) they claim.
So can we not get fracking now please – we can always remove CO2 from the atmosphere later (if needed) using almost limitless fusion energy will bring once we crack it in say 15 years time. Not that this will actually ever be needed in reality (if you follow the real science). Anyway the current solutions pushed by government Wind, EVs, public transport, walking… do not even save any CO2 (or any significant CO2) at all. Many things they do – such as importing gas or wood by ship or building new EVs rather than keeping your old car actually increases CO2.
February 9, 2022
No attempt whatsoever to even begin to answer your question – not even in part. She just completely ignored everything you said. Offensive, insulting and utterly unacceptable.
February 9, 2022
The UK-based JET laboratory has smashed its own world record for the amount of energy it can extract by squeezing together two forms of hydrogen. If nuclear fusion can be successfully recreated on Earth it holds out the potential of virtually unlimited supplies of low-carbon, low-radiation energy.
The experiments produced 59 megajoules of energy over five seconds (11 megawatts of power).
This is more than double what was achieved in similar tests back in 1997.
It’s not a massive energy output – only enough to boil about 60 kettles’ worth of water. But the significance is that it validates design choices that have been made for an even bigger fusion reactor now being constructed in France.
“The JET experiments put us a step closer to fusion power,” said Dr Joe Milnes, the head of operations at the reactor lab. “We’ve demonstrated that we can create a mini star inside of our machine and hold it there for five seconds and get high performance, which really takes us into a new realm.”
February 9, 2022
How do we produce more food when land is being planted with trees and being built on as matters of priority. Promotion of tree planting is popular with ‘green’ people.
February 9, 2022
No answer then from this so called minister of state?No wonder the country is in the state it is employing people like this who no doubt earns (sorry wrong word) lots of salary.
February 9, 2022
And growers could pump Co2 into their poly tunnels to speed crop growth!
But would that be allowed?
February 10, 2022
Rather than reducing co2 you would imagine they would encourage more of it to take us over the paltry 16% of food grown in the UK.
February 9, 2022
And growers could pump Co2 into their poly tunnels to speed crop growth!
But would that be allowed?
And it’s not a duplicate comment
February 9, 2022
I know what he means, but I think many of the answers lie in the hands of good Ministers. Ministers with a large majority have the crucial power to change the law if the old laws get in their way. They can command huge resources of people, money and message. They can abolish quangos, appoint new Heads, issue clear new public instructions to them which Parliament may debate. They can ask their departments to do more of this and less of that. They have the power of the purse and of the pulpit.
Excellent article Sir John and I particularly liked the above paragraph.Great pity we haven’t got the ministers to act on this.
February 9, 2022
So, what if overseas producers produce the foods that we want to a higher standard and more cheaply?
For instance, tasty speciality tomatoes, grown in the fresh air in sunny Spain?
Spain is a temperate country.
As far as I know the UK already does produce most of the potatoes, carrots, sprouts etc. consumed here anyway.
February 10, 2022
I’m so glad we can pull up carrots and sprouts at this time of year Martin. (sarc) We certainly won’t get ‘new” potatoes.
February 9, 2022
This comment shows the naivety and ignorance of our MP. It would be great to say we produce all of our own food in the UK and it is a great sound byte, but it is delusional and arrogant to think it is possible and based on the same pathetic logic which lumbered us with Brexit.
Here are a few obvious reasons why the plan is flawed:
1) The uk climate isn’t great for growing many fruit and vegetables – I can’t picture UK banana plantations! Maybe we will only be allowed potatoes, carrots and apples!
2) Whilst we may have people currently unemployed, it isn’t a job many want to do – the people who will do the work are the ones the Brexit voters didn’t want to be in the country.
3) is there enough land to grow the required amount?
We had a decent setup for importing things, but sadly the ignorant minority managed to brainwash the delusional majority which has resulted in the current mess we have!
Reply I said temperate food, not bananas
February 10, 2022
What mess? I’ve not noticed any food shortages and fruit and veg are at a very low price.
Please tell me what mess you are referring to?
February 9, 2022
Oh…that was a good answer….NOT!
I bet she wanted to say…
“Nah! We’re going to “rewild” half the bally countryside and build on the other half.
So there!”
Assuming that is, that the govt. ever works out how to do either. So we may be safe.
We need some rich folk to buy up farmland ….and FARM it!
February 9, 2022
Relevant to this, I watched Prime Minister’s Questions and the second question came from Gareth Bacon:
“The Northern Ireland protocol frustrates business, undermines the Belfast agreement, and restricts the free movement of goods and people within our United Kingdom. What action will my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Union take to reunite the UK and uphold the interests of all its residents, including those living in Northern Ireland?”
To which Boris Johnson replied:
“My hon. Friend is quite right. The protocol does not require, contrary to how it is being applied by our friends, all foods, all medicines and all plants to be systematically checked in the way that they are. We must fix it, and with good will and common sense I believe we can. However, if our friends do not show the requisite common sense, we will of course trigger article 16.”
Well, the protocol is complicated and I find it difficult to work through all the details to establish whether or not his answer is true, but if it is true then he did not get the protocol that he proposed:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/836116/Explanatory_Note_Accessible.pdf
“EXPLANATORY NOTE
UK PROPOSALS FOR AN AMENDED PROTOCOL ON IRELAND/NORTHERN IRELAND
2 October 2019”
Paragraph 7a:
“Building on the existing practice established to maintain the Single Epidemiological Unit (SEU) on the island of Ireland, Northern Ireland would align with EU SPS rules, including those relating to the placing on the market of agri-food goods. Agri-food goods entering Northern Ireland from Great Britain would do so via a Border Inspection Post or Designated Point of Entry as required by EU law, building on the provisions that already exist to support the SEU. They would be subject to identity and documentary checks and physical examination by UK authorities as required by the relevant EU rules.”
So Boris Johnson proposed that the checks would be performed by UK authorities but the rules would be set by our “friends” in the EU, and while the EU Commission and/or the EU Court of Justice might decide that as they were being applied certain checks were too stringent, or alternatively too lax, it would not be for Boris Johnson or anyone else to decide, or do anything more than argue their case before the EU institutions.
February 9, 2022
What are they planning for the recently re- wilded farmland. Perhaps wild boar and pork pie production staffed by Channel hoppers who don’t want to work in care homes.
February 9, 2022
In my opinion fruit and veg, relative to income, has never been cheaper. I’m not sure where Victoria Prentis does her shopping but it’s certainly can’t be the same supermarket I use. I bought a large bag of pears for 50p, a kilo of carrots for 39p, a cabbage for 45p, a lettuce for 55p, a pineapple for 79p and a large bag of bananas for 99p a couple of days ago. This isn’t even from one of the cheap supermarkets.
We get fresh produce from around the world and at this time of year very little from EU countries. I haven’t noticed any shortages in the shops since Brexit.
This is just more ministerial waffle and doesn’t answer the question asked.
February 9, 2022
John,
I see that the SNP are taking ScotRail into public ownership. With the full rhetoric of nationalisation.
I also see that in Wales all newly identified prostate cancer patients are being denied treatment. As an active decision of the politicians.
Can the government not point out the injustices of these things?
Cheers
February 9, 2022
Our PM seems to have a great talent for choosing advisers !
February 9, 2022
I see the PM’s new Permanent Secretary and Chief Operating Officer has a background as an NHS manager, never in history has management from such a failing institution been a success in such a role.
February 9, 2022
A non-answer.
Implies total failure to realise the importance of food security, and no concern that covering the countryside in solar farms reduces food production and increases food miles.
It is most irksome that all the common sense points JR makes, are ignored by the government.
February 9, 2022
You are correct as usual Sir John.
We should encourage and support our growers and farmers to produce sufficient foodstuffs to provide for our population.
Please carry on with your efforts!
February 10, 2022
How are you going to compel the population to buy it from them, and not perhaps better quality or more interesting varieties imported from sunnier but still temperate lands?
“You can’t buck the markets”
February 10, 2022
Do you not remember the supermarkets buying millions of acid green French apples some years ago?
The Brits decided they were sour and awful fruit and seem to have decided never to ever buy again. We are not offered then any more! The market was bucked.
February 10, 2022
No need to compel anyone NHL
Let the growers decide what to grow.
They will choose to grow produce that can compete on price.
Let UK consumers choose products they would purchase instead of imported produce.
February 11, 2022
How, with less sun and no local people willing to pick the stuff?
February 11, 2022
Lots of products and produce grow in the UK NHL
Plenty of opportunities for our clever farmers and growers.
Why are you so cynical?
February 9, 2022
No answer then. Seems there’s little point anyone asking questions of anyone about anything.
February 9, 2022
Sorry did I miss her answer the question??
February 10, 2022
WOULD the minister like to speculate on which policies, laws and decisions are getting in the way of this country being unable to produce more than 16% of required food items?
Are there any plans to help boost home production, or is this something we are going to have to live with?
February 10, 2022
There is nothing more satisfying than growing your own fruit and veg. Most homeowners cannot be wholly self sufficient due to very small gardens and the time needed to devote to growth , but every little helps . If we are talking about health then we can grow all foodstuff which supports an all round vitamin and trace element supply. Broccoli , sprouts and spinach are very easily grown and most have freezers for excess. My carrots from last year are still growing . We as amateurs are too well aware of the difficulties involved and the years where trees don’t fruit and the birds and squirrels take the strawberries , the caterpillars eat the apples so forth and so on , but one doesn’t give up because there is not a 100 % success rate. We need to show the children how to grow and respect the food we grow,