To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of (a) increased public procurement of plant-rich foods, (b) expanded domestic horticulture production and (c) increased production of plant proteins for human consumption to the Government’s Food Strategy...

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of (a) increased public procurement of plant-rich foods, (b) expanded domestic horticulture production and (c) increased production of plant proteins for human consumption to the Government’s Food Strategy...

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 23 July 2026, to Question 18831, on Rural Affairs: International Cooperation, if he will place in the Library a copy of the agreements of (a) environmental cooperation memoranda of understanding with China, (b)...

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 23 July 2026, to Question 18831, on Rural Affairs: International Cooperation, if he will place in the Library a copy of the agreements of (a) environmental cooperation memoranda of understanding with China, (b)...

My Lords, this is another statutory instrument to update EU law enforcement on plant health, seeds, seed potatoes and plant propagating material so that it operates effectively in Northern Ireland. It therefore aligns the operation of Northern Ireland’s agri-food sector with EU laws. The measures do not take account of...

My Lords, this is another statutory instrument to update EU law enforcement on plant health, seeds, seed potatoes and plant propagating material so that it operates effectively in Northern Ireland. It therefore aligns the operation of Northern Ireland’s agri-food sector with EU laws. The measures do not take account of...

My Lords, given the time constraints, I will not reiterate some of the wider constitutional issues that have already been raised. But first I have a question: why is the SI even needed? By Defra’s own admission, the current regulations are fully complied with by everybody in the industry. That...

My Lords, given the time constraints, I will not reiterate some of the wider constitutional issues that have already been raised. But first I have a question: why is the SI even needed? By Defra’s own admission, the current regulations are fully complied with by everybody in the industry. That...

I welcome the opportunity to take part in this interesting debate. It is the second time that I have intervened in what appears to be a series of debates on this issue. The last time I was guilty of a degree of naivety. It turned out that it was not...

I welcome the opportunity to take part in this interesting debate. It is the second time that I have intervened in what appears to be a series of debates on this issue. The last time I was guilty of a degree of naivety. It turned out that it was not...

My Lords, noble Lords should be clear that these regulations, which allow the law in Northern Ireland to diverge from that of Great Britain, violate Article 1(2) of the Windsor Framework, which clearly states that the purpose of the Windsor Framework is to protect

“the essential State functions … of the...

My Lords, noble Lords should be clear that these regulations, which allow the law in Northern Ireland to diverge from that of Great Britain, violate Article 1(2) of the Windsor Framework, which clearly states that the purpose of the Windsor Framework is to protect

“the essential State functions … of the...

My Lords, I thank the Minister for introducing these regulations, as well as the noble Lord, Lord Dodds, for allowing us to have this short debate through his regret amendment. As I said in last week’s debate, the concerns about these regulations are much less about the substance of the...

My Lords, I thank the Minister for introducing these regulations, as well as the noble Lord, Lord Dodds, for allowing us to have this short debate through his regret amendment. As I said in last week’s debate, the concerns about these regulations are much less about the substance of the...

My Lords, I thank the Minister for bringing this secondary legislation before your Lordships’ House tonight. Once again, noble Lords and Baronesses from Northern Ireland and some of my noble friends have, in my opinion, made a very powerful, unanswerable case regarding the undemocratic way these regulations have been imposed...

My Lords, I thank the Minister for bringing this secondary legislation before your Lordships’ House tonight. Once again, noble Lords and Baronesses from Northern Ireland and some of my noble friends have, in my opinion, made a very powerful, unanswerable case regarding the undemocratic way these regulations have been imposed...

My Lords, first, I thank noble Lords from all sides of the House for their contributions to the debate today and for the valuable points made in respect of the instrument. I will rattle through—I do not have very long, I am afraid—because a broad range of issues has been...

My Lords, first, I thank noble Lords from all sides of the House for their contributions to the debate today and for the valuable points made in respect of the instrument. I will rattle through—I do not have very long, I am afraid—because a broad range of issues has been...

My Lords, I am grateful to all those who took part in the debate, especially those who have indicated support for my regret amendment. One noble Baroness questioned what is achieved by these debates and who benefits. Well, I suppose when the Government do not bother about a consultation or...

My Lords, I am grateful to all those who took part in the debate, especially those who have indicated support for my regret amendment. One noble Baroness questioned what is achieved by these debates and who benefits. Well, I suppose when the Government do not bother about a consultation or...

Lords motion to approve. Amendment to regret disagreed to on division (26 to 63). Original motion agreed to on question.

Lords motion to approve. Amendment to regret disagreed to on division (26 to 63). Original motion agreed to on question.

My Lords, this instrument extends to Northern Ireland only and is being brought through Westminster, working closely with the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, or DAERA. The Government note the regret amendment tabled by the noble Lord, Lord Dodds of Duncairn, which raises concerns about the implementation of...

My Lords, this instrument extends to Northern Ireland only and is being brought through Westminster, working closely with the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, or DAERA. The Government note the regret amendment tabled by the noble Lord, Lord Dodds of Duncairn, which raises concerns about the implementation of...

Moved by

Lord Dodds of Duncairn

Moved by

Lord Dodds of Duncairn

My Lords, I thank the Minister for introducing the regulations. Once again, we are debating regulations which may appear on the surface to be technical and limited in scope, but, as we know, such regulations raise issues of real constitutional and democratic significance and importance. No one here tonight is...

My Lords, I thank the Minister for introducing the regulations. Once again, we are debating regulations which may appear on the surface to be technical and limited in scope, but, as we know, such regulations raise issues of real constitutional and democratic significance and importance. No one here tonight is...

My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Dodds, for securing this debate and ensuring that we have three whole minutes to discuss the dismemberment of the United Kingdom.

I began by trying to find out what this was about by reading the Explanatory Memorandum. I want to make...

My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Dodds, for securing this debate and ensuring that we have three whole minutes to discuss the dismemberment of the United Kingdom.

I began by trying to find out what this was about by reading the Explanatory Memorandum. I want to make...

I end on that sombre note.

7.41 pm

I end on that sombre note.

7.41 pm

My Lords, it is already apparent that this SI is connected to a wider ideological political debate. We learn from the text of this statutory instrument—we will come back to the text later—that it has virtually no impact, it is already operative in Northern Ireland, and so on.

The Minister has...

My Lords, it is already apparent that this SI is connected to a wider ideological political debate. We learn from the text of this statutory instrument—we will come back to the text later—that it has virtually no impact, it is already operative in Northern Ireland, and so on.

The Minister has...

My Lords, another week and yet another regret amendment in respect of the Windsor Framework, this one regarding plant health seeds, seed potatoes and plant propagating material. I ask the simple question: what does this achieve? I agree with the noble Lord, Lord Bew, that this is more about the...

My Lords, another week and yet another regret amendment in respect of the Windsor Framework, this one regarding plant health seeds, seed potatoes and plant propagating material. I ask the simple question: what does this achieve? I agree with the noble Lord, Lord Bew, that this is more about the...

This is no way to legislate for Northern Ireland. It is not right to annex part of our country to the European Union. At the time of the Windsor Framework, I and some colleagues in the Commons opposed it and pointed out that there were much easier ways of organising...

This is no way to legislate for Northern Ireland. It is not right to annex part of our country to the European Union. At the time of the Windsor Framework, I and some colleagues in the Commons opposed it and pointed out that there were much easier ways of organising...

My Lords, it is a real pleasure to support my noble friend the Minister and oppose the amendment in the name of the noble Lord, Lord Dodds.

I respect and have heard many times—as has everybody else present, I think—the constitutional concerns that have been raised, but it is right that...

My Lords, it is a real pleasure to support my noble friend the Minister and oppose the amendment in the name of the noble Lord, Lord Dodds.

I respect and have heard many times—as has everybody else present, I think—the constitutional concerns that have been raised, but it is right that...