Futures Forum: Brexit: and "The future for food, farming and the environment" >>>
He has just had a piece published on the Devon Live news website - which has caught the attention of the East Devon Watch news website:
NEIL PARISH AND HIS “COASTAL COMMUNITIES” BLIND SPOT
6 AUG 2018
Long article by Somerset farmer and Tiverton and Honiton MP on the impact of Brexit on “coastal communities”. Two-thirds of the article is about the impact of Brexit agriculture, one-third is about its impact on fishing:
Anyone notice a glaring omission? TOURISM!
Does he have any idea of the effect of Brexit on tourism – one of East Devon’s biggest earners? Apparently not.
Oh, and by the way, as with nearly 100% of our railways and most of our utility companies, many British fishing boats are NOT British owned:
“Nearly half of the total English fishing quota is controlled by companies from overseas, according to an investigation into the extent of foreign dominance over UK waters. …”Half of English fishing quotas controlled by overseas firms | The Independent
Neil Parish and his “coastal communities” blind spot | East Devon Watch
Here's a little more from that Independent piece from 2014:
Half of English fishing quotas controlled by overseas firms
Greenpeace: "We must reclaim our fish quota from the vice-like grip of big business"
Tom Bawden
Tuesday 4 November 2014 01:00
24 comments
Nearly half of the total English fishing quota is controlled by companies from overseas, according to an investigation into the extent of foreign dominance over UK waters.
A single Dutch vessel, the Cornelis Vrolijk, accounts for almost a quarter of the entire English catch and about 6 per cent of the total UK quota. The 370ft trawler may operate out of Hull under a British flag, but it’s entire catch – which last year came in 34.4 tonnes of mackerel, herring, scad and blue whiting worth £17m – is landed in Holland.
The Greenpeace investigation highlights two related issues of concern. First, that the fishing industry is dominated by a handful of giant and often foreign-owned companies using big boats.
And second, that the 5,000 small boats operated by the traditional UK fishing families are increasingly marginalised – holding just 4 per cent of the entire UK quota between them.
Fishing quotas were introduced in the late 1980s to help preserve fish stocks. However, Greenpeace says the then government significantly underestimated the contribution made by small fishing vessels – less than 10 metres long – to the industry and consequently allocated them a tiny proportion of the quota.
Here is the Neil Parish piece in full:
Nowhere has the impact of EU membership been felt more than in our coastal towns and villages
Neil Parish MP says that delays at border inspection posts would lead to increased business costs, and pose a serious threat to our perishable goods industries.
1COMMENT
Neil Parish
6 AUG 2018
NEIL PARISH IS THE CONSERVATIVE MP FOR TIVERTON AND HONITON AND HAS BEEN SINCE 2010
As we all know, the government recently published its Brexit White Paper. It proposes our future relationship with the EU – and will be the basis of upcoming talks. In its current form, the Brexit White Paper offers us an opportunity to continue our close relationship with the EU, whilst striking trade deals with other countries around the world.
It is my role, as Chair of the Environment Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee, to scrutinise the effect of the government’s proposals on these key policy areas.
Neil Parish MP
When my Committee produced our report into ‘Brexit: Trade in Food’ earlier this year, we found that any change in trade arrangements would have serious implications for the smooth movement of goods between the UK and the EU. In particular, we found delays at border inspection posts would lead to increased business costs, and pose a serious threat to our perishable goods industries.
Instead, the Chequers Agreement will allow our agri-food businesses frictionless trade through a Common Rule Book. A new UK-EU free trade area on goods also means maintaining the highest standards in regulations on everything from food safety to animal welfare, whilst preserving access to each other’s markets. This is vital for our rural economy, as 70 per cent of our agri-food imports come from the EU. Furthermore, we export £11 billion worth of agriculture, fisheries and food products to EU markets each year. At the same time, we will be outside the Customs Union and able to do more trade deals with growth markets, so our farmers and agri-food businesses can thrive.
Importantly, though, we are leaving the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Currently, the EU currently spends approximately 40 percent of its budget, around €60 billion, on the CAP. As we leave the EU, this offers us a significant opportunity to design new, better and more efficient farming policies for delivering sustainable and productive farming, land management and rural communities like ours.
The Brexit White Paper gives us another opportunity, as it makes clear we will be leaving the Common Fisheries Policy. By December 2020, we will be negotiating for our fisheries as an independent coastal state outside the CFP. This gives us the chance to regenerate our coastal towns with jobs and industry.
Nowhere has the impact of EU membership been felt more than in our coastal towns and villages. Whilst UK vessels land 90,000 tonnes of fish caught in EU waters, 760,000 tonnes of fish are caught by EU vessels in UK waters.
That’s why I’ve been pushing the Environment Secretary and the Prime Minister hard on this issue. In its current form, the Brexit White Paper enables us to take back control of our waters and negotiate as an independent coastal state. I was delighted, then, when the Prime Minister confirmed to me at Liaison Committee this month, that fishing negotiations will be separate to negotiations about our future economic partnership. Unlike before, our fish cannot be traded away in the small hours of a smoky Brussels negotiating room.What I want is a good deal with our friends, allies and business partners in the EU. As it stands, the Brexit White Paper enables us to continue trading goods with the EU, including agri-food products, whilst allowing us to freely negotiate free trade arrangements with non-member states. Our exceptionally high standards will not only be maintained, but we can begin the drive to make them even higher than before. The Common Rule Book provides the certainty so many farmers have needed recently and allows us to protect trade with the EU.
The Prime Minister has a tough job trying to get a deal we can all support. In its current form, this is a fine balance that she has just about struck. The most important thing is that we have a say over our farming and fishing policies, whilst maintaining an important and integrated supply chain. I am pleased with the priority which has been given to our agri-food business - and the opportunities we will have outside the CAP and the CFP.
The EU should realise that any weakening would not be acceptable and risk a no-deal scenario. Let’s hope they take it seriously. But given the comments of the EU’s chief negotiator, I’m not hopeful. It would be unwise for the EU to take away the assurances this White Paper offers so many UK sectors. The PM must take a tough stance.
Neil Parish MP says that delays at border inspection posts would lead to increased business costs, and pose a serious threat to our perishable goods industries.
1COMMENT
Neil Parish
6 AUG 2018
NEIL PARISH IS THE CONSERVATIVE MP FOR TIVERTON AND HONITON AND HAS BEEN SINCE 2010
As we all know, the government recently published its Brexit White Paper. It proposes our future relationship with the EU – and will be the basis of upcoming talks. In its current form, the Brexit White Paper offers us an opportunity to continue our close relationship with the EU, whilst striking trade deals with other countries around the world.
It is my role, as Chair of the Environment Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee, to scrutinise the effect of the government’s proposals on these key policy areas.
Neil Parish MPWhen my Committee produced our report into ‘Brexit: Trade in Food’ earlier this year, we found that any change in trade arrangements would have serious implications for the smooth movement of goods between the UK and the EU. In particular, we found delays at border inspection posts would lead to increased business costs, and pose a serious threat to our perishable goods industries.
Instead, the Chequers Agreement will allow our agri-food businesses frictionless trade through a Common Rule Book. A new UK-EU free trade area on goods also means maintaining the highest standards in regulations on everything from food safety to animal welfare, whilst preserving access to each other’s markets. This is vital for our rural economy, as 70 per cent of our agri-food imports come from the EU. Furthermore, we export £11 billion worth of agriculture, fisheries and food products to EU markets each year. At the same time, we will be outside the Customs Union and able to do more trade deals with growth markets, so our farmers and agri-food businesses can thrive.
Importantly, though, we are leaving the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Currently, the EU currently spends approximately 40 percent of its budget, around €60 billion, on the CAP. As we leave the EU, this offers us a significant opportunity to design new, better and more efficient farming policies for delivering sustainable and productive farming, land management and rural communities like ours.
The Brexit White Paper gives us another opportunity, as it makes clear we will be leaving the Common Fisheries Policy. By December 2020, we will be negotiating for our fisheries as an independent coastal state outside the CFP. This gives us the chance to regenerate our coastal towns with jobs and industry.
Nowhere has the impact of EU membership been felt more than in our coastal towns and villages. Whilst UK vessels land 90,000 tonnes of fish caught in EU waters, 760,000 tonnes of fish are caught by EU vessels in UK waters.
That’s why I’ve been pushing the Environment Secretary and the Prime Minister hard on this issue. In its current form, the Brexit White Paper enables us to take back control of our waters and negotiate as an independent coastal state. I was delighted, then, when the Prime Minister confirmed to me at Liaison Committee this month, that fishing negotiations will be separate to negotiations about our future economic partnership. Unlike before, our fish cannot be traded away in the small hours of a smoky Brussels negotiating room.What I want is a good deal with our friends, allies and business partners in the EU. As it stands, the Brexit White Paper enables us to continue trading goods with the EU, including agri-food products, whilst allowing us to freely negotiate free trade arrangements with non-member states. Our exceptionally high standards will not only be maintained, but we can begin the drive to make them even higher than before. The Common Rule Book provides the certainty so many farmers have needed recently and allows us to protect trade with the EU.
The Prime Minister has a tough job trying to get a deal we can all support. In its current form, this is a fine balance that she has just about struck. The most important thing is that we have a say over our farming and fishing policies, whilst maintaining an important and integrated supply chain. I am pleased with the priority which has been given to our agri-food business - and the opportunities we will have outside the CAP and the CFP.
The EU should realise that any weakening would not be acceptable and risk a no-deal scenario. Let’s hope they take it seriously. But given the comments of the EU’s chief negotiator, I’m not hopeful. It would be unwise for the EU to take away the assurances this White Paper offers so many UK sectors. The PM must take a tough stance.
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Nowhere has the impact of EU membership been felt more than in our coastal towns and villages - Neil Parish - Devon Live
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