Dear constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about pesticide standards.

It is vital that we uphold Britain’s high animal welfare, food safety and environmental standards in all future trade deals, including UK pesticide standards to protect public health, the environment and prevent our British farmers from being undercut.

I voted for amendments to both the Agriculture Bill and the Trade Bill to ensure that agricultural products cannot be imported into the UK if they are produced to lower animal welfare, environmental, plant health and food safety standards than those required for UK products. Disappointingly, these amendments were voted down by the UK Government, despite its manifesto pledge to not compromise on standards in future trade deals.  I also supported efforts to amend the Agriculture Bill to require government to monitor the impact of pesticides, to research alternative methods of pest control, and to consult on a target to reduce the use of pesticides. Unfortunately, this was also rejected.

Following campaigning by the National Farmers’ Union, the UK Government has launched a Trade and Agriculture Commission to make recommendations on UK trade policy, export opportunities and the global promotion of animal welfare standards.

I am concerned, however, that the Commission lacks the teeth to have any real impact on the UK Government’s trade policy and that its recommendations will come too late, and carry too little weight, to affect the content of the trade agreements currently being negotiated.

We cannot trade away our British values in pursuit of a trade deal. I can assure you I will continue to press the UK Government to uphold our standards as well as calling for greater scrutiny of trade deals.

Thank you once again for contacting me and sharing your views on this important issue.

Yours sincerely,

Peter Dowd MP