Ann Davies
MP for Caerfyrddin · Plaid Cymru · United Kingdom
“Can I welcome visitors from a very special school in Carmarthenshire, who have come to the House today? Three learners and their support staff have come the whole way from west Wales. Welcome to Westminster!”
“The Timms review pledges to develop ambitious, evidence-based recommendations that are practical, deliverable and capable of delivering meaningful change. I welcome the interim report.”
“The International Court of Justice ruled two years ago that Israel must end its occupation of Palestine, yet that occupation is increasing before our very eyes.”
“Diolch yn fawr, Mr Llefarydd. On 23 December 2024, my constituent Aaron Jones was killed in a hit and run while walking his dog. The perpetrator was sentenced to four and a half years in prison.”
“Diolch yn fawr, Cadeirydd; it is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship. I declare an interest as a dairy farmer and a member of the Farmers’ Union of Wales. The costs of farming have spiralled over many years, particularly since Brexit.”
“Milk prices have crashed, leading many smaller dairy holdings to make the decision to leave the market. Sheep and beef prices have steadied but are now showing signs of decline, and horticultural producers also want a steady market for their produce. We need to seriously value food production.”
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“I ask gently whether we need to spoil our more rural landscapes by placing turbines in areas in which people still live, still farm the land and still have vibrant Welsh-speaking communities. Do we need 400 turbines in one relatively small area? Speaking of rural communities, the next battle on our hands in Caerfyrddin is to secure a banking hub in Rhydaman—or Ammanford. The last bank has closed. To be honest, I do not blame Lloyds, which had remained when others had long gone. However, I just wish that we had been able to secure a banking hub before they had closed. Although 23,709 people live in the Ammanford area, only 7,444 live around the high street, so we fall short of the 10,000-person threshold for a banking hub.”
“My concern is that the sheer scale of these proposed developments, combined with the bullish approach taken by some developers, risks undermining the good will and the positivity that has defined Wales’s green energy journey so far. This extractive economy needs to change and, again, we have a solution. Having a 10 km gap between each wind farm would significantly reduce the number and still generate more than enough electricity. That would safeguard some villages in my constituency, including Pencarreg, Cwmann, Ffarmers and Pumsaint, and up towards Mynydd Mallaen. Two huge wind farms are already licensed in the Celtic sea, and the Crown Estate is proposing another three, so we know that we will generate far more electricity than we need.”
“The turbines are even taller than that and 400 of them are planned across the horizon in my constituency. Plaid Cymru supports green energy that delivers real benefits to our communities, but the transition must be shaped around people and place, not imposed at a scale that alienates those being asked to host it. Instead of concentrating development in vast projects that dominate our landscapes, a Plaid Cymru Government would prioritise community-centred solutions. We would refocus efforts on community energy and introduce retrofit standards to upgrade more homes more quickly. Green energy in Wales is a success story and our communities understand the need for it. Indeed, most people are passionately committed to playing their part in the transition.”
“Plaid Cymru’s policy on new infrastructure is clear: all 11kV to 132 kV lines should be underground unless there is a specific reason that cannot happen, for example that they go through peatlands, where a 10-metre pole would be used. All the usual impact assessments would also need to be considered, as per current planning policy: visual, ecological, language and community. We would work with communities, not against them, while safeguarding our heritage, chain of castles, ancient hill forts and viaducts. This is our land and our history that we need to protect. It is not just pylons. Over 400 wind turbines are planned to be built across my constituency and the neighbouring constituencies of Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe and Ceredigion Preseli. The turbines are huge—up to 230 metres tall. The London Eye over the river is 202 metres high.”
“I was elected in July 2024 on the back of a local campaign against new electricity infrastructure, not because we are nimbys—I will get that in straightaway—but because we found a factual, feasible alternative that put our land and our communities first: undergrounding the cables instead of using pylons. Three years on, we are still working hard to persuade the Labour Welsh Government that this is the way forward. When we started this journey, the cost comparatives were around seven to 10 times more expensive. The latest figures are around three to four times more expensive, and in Norway one study says that undergrounding is an average of 1.8 times more expensive than pylons. In just three years, the comparatives have drastically reduced, but all costings are time and project-specific.”
“Diolch yn fawr, Madam Dirprwy Lefarydd. I refer the House to the Register of Members’ Financial Interests—I am co-chair of the anti-pylon group in Llanarthne and the president of the Farmers’ Union of Wales in Carmarthenshire. From the Arglwydd Rhys of Dinefwr’s first Eisteddfod, which was held in Aberteifi in Ceredigion, to the Rebecca riots, the coal mines and the tin and copper works of decades past, my constituency of Caerfyrddin is marked by history. We are proud of our shared stories, our communities and our beautiful landscape, which we do our best to protect.”
“There is no one-size-fits-all solution. That brings me back to my community. Caerfyrddin is filled with castles, history and heritage, but it is also filled with talent, entrepreneurship and vision. Let us harness those qualities and work together to help the places that we are so proud of to thrive and prosper, in line with what our communities need, want and deserve. Let us do the “pethau bychain” together.”
“That increases footfall and gives businesses an opportunity to increase turnover and expand naturally. A few villages in my constituency are currently looking for that opportunity. One of them is the township of Laugharne, which is of course famous for the Dylan Thomas boathouse—it is where he wrote “Under Milk Wood”, and he and his wife Caitlin are buried in the churchyard there. These are inevitably decisions for the local community, and I hope that they find a resolution soon. As David’s last words were “Do the little things”—gwnewch y pethau bychain—I ask for large organisations, such as LINK, the FCA and the Post Office, to collaborate closely with our communities to ensure that access to cash is a reality for everyone. Rural communities are unique, and what works in a city or a large town does not automatically work there.”
“We are working closely with LINK and the FCA to get as much information as we can to secure a hub. That is what our communities need. They deserve to be able to get to their cash safely. My community means everything to me. The interwoven history and heritage of Caerfyrddin run through my veins. As I have said before, I have moved only 4 miles in my entire life, and I have no intention of moving any further than that—I love where I live and I love the people there. It is a privilege to live there, and, like others, I want the best for my patch, so I was delighted when a new post office was opened in Whitland after a sustained period of absence. When we consider access to cash, let us look for opportunities to place a post office within local shops, convenience stores and even pubs.”
“I really appreciate the hon. Member’s having secured this important debate, as we have issues very similar to Suffolk Coastal’s in Caerfyrddin and west Wales in general. A levy is really important for cumulative planning and mitigation. I would also add that there are tangible benefits for our communities, such as public transport and affordable homes. Those are things that we do not have in rural communities, but which a levy could support. Does the hon. Member agree that that is the way forward—not the piecemeal dribs and drabs that companies are offering us?”
“I beg to move, That this House has considered banking hubs in rural and post-industrial communities. It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Desmond. It is unfortunate really that this is a 30-minute debate. So many people have been in touch to make interventions or speeches, including the right hon. Member for South Holland and The Deepings (Sir John Hayes) and my right hon. Friend the Member for Dwyfor Meirionnydd (Liz Saville Roberts), but as you mentioned, Sir Desmond, it is impossible to fit everybody in. I am pleased to lead the debate on this important topic. Access to cash and banking services is a pressing issue in rural and post-industrial communities. I hope to outline why we desperately need to increase the availability of services through banking hubs in those areas.”
“Link notes: “While ATM use naturally evolves as more people choose digital payments…cash remains a trusted and widely used option.” Link data shows that the most popular places in which to use cash remain convenience stores, supermarkets and payments between friends and families.”
“I totally agree, and I will come on to that later. In 2006, cash accounted for 62% of all payments in the UK. It now accounts for around 14%, with some forecasts taking it down to 6% in 2031. However, if we look beyond those percentages, we can see that cash still plays a vital role in people’s lives. For many, cash is indeed king. New figures from Link, which accounts for 77% of the UK’s entire ATM network transactions, show that cash continues to be central to how millions of people manage their money. In 2025, £76 billion was withdrawn from Link ATMs, in 1.27 billion transactions recorded across the year.”
“As the Welsh Affairs Committee has noted, the number of bank and building society branches fell from 695 in 2012 to 435 in 2022.”
“Absolutely. Unfortunately, as of December last year, those post office vans no longer accept cheques. Some people of a certain generation still use cheques, but those cannot now be paid in by using a post office van, as we have in our village. Someone must physically go to a bank to pay in a cheque, which makes it very difficult for the elderly, especially given that in my area we do not have public transport either. Removing local banking services risks deepening financial exclusion and placing additional strain on already vulnerable adults. Despite cash and in-person banking still being integral to many communities across the UK, they are becoming harder and harder to access. That is demonstrated by the number of bank closures across Wales.”
“Absolutely. The data is there for all. The closures disproportionately impact less populated areas, as the distance to travel to bank branches is greater. For instance, data from 2008 to 2018 show that the greatest increases in travel distance to the nearest bank branch were in Montgomeryshire, Clwyd South, Arfon, Dwyfor Meirionnydd, and Brecon and Radnorshire. Those rural and less populated areas also tend to have older populations and less reliable internet, and experience the unique nature of rural poverty.”
“I urge Link to engage with local stakeholders, including businesses, councillors and residents, to ensure that the assessment reflects actual community needs, including by establishing a banking hub in the town of Ammanford. Can the Minister set out how the Government can accelerate the establishment of banking hubs in rural and post-industrial communities as part of their plans? What recent assessments have been made of the adequacy of the cash access review process to account for the unique needs of those communities? Banking hubs are a lifeline for communities that are already under strain. We need prudent policymaking in this area from the Government, so that constituents like mine are not overlooked for such important services. Diolch yn fawr, Cadeirydd.”
“For instance, in the case of Ammanford, Link assessed that there was no need for additional services like a banking hub, given that Ammanford did not meet the population threshold of 10,000 people living near the high street. It said that Ammanford had 7,444 adults living nearby, which is still a significant number, but 23,709 people live in that surround. As we know, in post-industrial areas, the town merges into the villages—or the villages merge into the town. Residents have made it clear that they are finding it incredibly challenging losing their only banking facility. A petition is being circulated in response to the decision, and it has already gathered hundreds of signatures—I urge all in the Chamber to share my online petition.”
“The Financial Services and Markets Act 2023 gave the Financial Conduct Authority responsibility for maintaining cash deposit and withdrawal access, although not wider banking services. The FCA’s rules came into force in September 2024. Those rules require banks not to close their services in communities until they have carried out an assessment showing that the closure would not impact withdrawal and deposit services in that area. Those assessments are conducted by Link. While such a safeguard is welcome, the process itself seems to overlook rural and post-industrial areas. It does not allow for discretion to be applied to consider the needs of those communities.”
“The Federation of Small Businesses Wales has said: “While it is unrealistic to expect a return to high street banks on every street, it is important that new models are further developed—such as banking hubs—to ensure that these services are available locally.” Banking hubs are a key alternative to communities that have lost access to bank and building society branches. They offer easy access to face-to-face cash and banking in the communities that have lost their bank branches. I welcome that the Government have pledged to establish at least 350 banking hubs across the UK. In Wales, there are 12 shared banking hubs, with more in the process of being set up in Gorseinon and Caergybi—Holyhead. However, I note that none are in my constituency of Caerfyrddin—not one.”
“Although I understand the Post Office will absorb some customers, it does not provide all banking needs.” He continued: “I understand why the banks have to close some branches, but Lloyds’ support in the past has been invaluable to this area. With a brain-injured partner, it is nearly impossible to travel to Gorseinon. This would be a major trip causing unnecessary distress and anxiety for him; disabled parking in Gorseinon doesn’t meet his needs either.” Cash has a social value, too. Another constituent said: “I’m old school and still like to have cash—giving my grandchild pocket money, giving tips if I go out, taxis—the list could go on.” It is clear that cash does not just facilitate economic exchange; it creates bonds and ties within communities, an aspect that is important to smaller and rural areas. Where do we go from here?”
“Digital alternatives cannot replace in-person services, especially for vulnerable groups such as older adults, those with disabilities and people managing complex financial needs. A significant proportion of residents are elderly, vulnerable or without access to transport, and the prospect of travelling long distances to the nearest branch is unrealistic and unjust. I have had many constituents contact me to express their deep concern about the closure of the Lloyds branch. One constituent told me: “We really desperately need this facility now. I don’t think any consideration has been given to the disabled, elderly, or even younger people who cannot travel to other towns.”
“The decision demonstrates a worrying lack of understanding of the needs of rural and post-industrial communities. For many, online banking is not an option. For example, broadband coverage in Carmarthen is significantly below national standards. Gigabit in Carmarthenshire is 41% compared with 78% in the UK. Superfast broadband is 85% compared with 96% in the UK. Those figures demonstrate that large parts of the county, including Ammanford and its surrounding villages, lack access to the high-speed internet that is required for secure and consistent digital banking. In practice, that means that online banking is unreliable or inaccessible for many households. Mobile banking apps do not function properly, especially in areas with poor signal and slow connections.”
“I am so sorry, but I am going to finish. Restricting access to cash also affects many of those living in rural and post-industrial areas. As the Financial Conduct Authority has noted, digitally excluded older people, people in poor health, those with lower financial resilience and those with lower financial capability depend more on cash. We have seen that play out in my constituency, where we have recently experienced the closure of the last bank in the town of Ammanford—a Lloyds Bank on Quay Street. The closure will leave Ammanford—a town with an area population of 23,709—without a full-service bank branch. It will impact not only the town itself but the surrounding communities of Brynamman, Glanamman, Tycroes, Llandybie, Betws and the wider Amman valley.”
“As Plaid Cymru spokesperson, I tried to ensure that the UK Government tackled the benefit cap as well as the two-child limit, but the narrow scope of the Bill meant that I could not table amendments to do that. Only the Labour Government can make this Bill include changes to the benefit cap and help further reduce the unacceptable poverty in our communities. The UK Labour Government have said that they are committed to tackling child poverty. With 31% of children in my constituency in poverty, now is the time for the Government to show that commitment in action. I therefore urge the Secretary of State to use the powers available to him to legislate to scrap the benefit cap alongside the two-child limit, to make a real difference to children and families across all our communities.”
“In fact, the Bevan Foundation estimates that more than one in five households affected by the two-child limit will not fully benefit from its removal because of the benefit cap. The hon. Member for Brighton Pavilion’s new clause 1 would place a duty on the Secretary of State to publish an impact assessment of the effects of the Bill. It would include an estimate of those households that would not see the full benefits of removing the two-child limit because of the benefit cap. I support this new clause as a way to allow us to understand the real impact of leaving the benefit cap where it is on families across our nations and our communities, but it does not go far enough, as many have said.”
“There is a huge difference there, and that is why this Bill is necessary. Ending the two-child cap will cause an 11% fall in child poverty and a nearly 20% drop in deep poverty, according to modelling by the Bevan Foundation and Policy in Practice, but the Bill’s success in tackling poverty is limited by other Government policies, especially the benefit cap. The benefit cap limits total income from certain social security payments to £22,000 a year—not the £71,000 that has been mentioned—for couples and single parents outside London. It has been frozen at that rate for 2026-27 by the Labour Government. Over 3,000 households were already affected by the benefit cap in Wales as of May last year, and 83% of those were households with children—the majority with three or more children. Those families will not benefit at all from the Bill.”
“I stand to speak in support of new clause 1, tabled by the hon. Member for Brighton Pavilion (Siân Berry). The two-child cap should never have been introduced in the first place. As one of four siblings, I gently ask the hon. Member for South West Devon (Rebecca Smith): was I, the third born, worth less than my two older sisters or my younger sister? I am the mother of three daughters; was any one of my children worth less than any of the others? Absolutely not. At its most basic, that is what this policy is about. I was in receipt of free school meals, and I remember well queuing up outside the school secretary’s door to collect my dinner token. I would have been one of these statistics—one of the 31% of children in Wales growing up in financial poverty. It was not emotional poverty—I was not poor in love—but financial poverty.”
“Public confidence is so important, and the ministerial code requires that Ministers, including the Prime Minister, uphold the highest possible standards of propriety. Given that the evidence clearly shows what the Prime Minister knew, the appointment of Mandelson did not meet those standards. Can the Minister confirm whether the Prime Minister will refer himself to the independent adviser on ministerial standards?”
“Enzo Romano is a talented young footballer who has already played for the Welsh youth team. He could have chosen Italy or Spain, but he has chosen Wales first. Despite his birth certificate proving that he was born in Cardiff, his British citizenship application has been refused for a second time. Without it, he cannot further his football career and play in the world cup. Will the Leader of the House grant a debate to ensure the Home Office cannot unfairly hold back talent like Enzo—and others, I am sure, across the UK? He just wants to play football for the country he was born in and obviously loves.”
“In those areas, it is much harder for traditional masts to provide reliable coverage, no matter how many are built. That is why it is essential that a satellite solution is available and affordable for all the households that will otherwise be left behind. Starlink currently charges around £75 per month for network coverage, which is not affordable for many of my constituents. I hope that in the next year or so competition will make that cheaper, and that other companies can provide that service. Whatever system communities and constituents use, it must work. It must be reliable and affordable, especially when public money has been used in good faith.”
“Rural homes and businesses must be able to contact emergency services as and when they need to. During Storm Darragh, which was far worse for us than any of the recent storms, the digitalisation of our tele- communication systems meant that the networks failed. Although batteries help, according to one of my constituents just last week, businesses are not eligible for those, as only domestic dwellings can have battery back-ups. People were left with no means of communication and unable to reach emergency services, which is unacceptable. We must ensure that when public money is spent on upgrading networks, they are switched on and actually work for the communities in which they are built. Finally, Caerfyrddin includes some of the hardest-to-reach homes, with properties tucked deep into valleys or set in extremely remote locations.”
“Public purse funding has been poured into both mast projects, and there is nothing to show for it, at a time when digital connectivity is seriously needed. Broadband access in the rural parts of my constituency is also not good enough. Rural businesses, including farms, now rely on connectivity for all transactions, including banking, tax and VAT returns, reports on the British Cattle Movement Service’s cattle tracing system and payments in our rural village shops. The results from the National Farmers Union’s rural digital survey are worrying. As has been mentioned, 21% of respondents have broadband speeds of less than 10 megabits per second, compared with the national average of less than 1%, and only 22% report having reliable mobile signal across their entire farms. It is just not good enough.”
“Over the past few years, the shared rural network, which is funded through private investment and public money, has worked reasonably well in Caerfyrddin, with an additional number of masts being built in hard-to-reach areas. Like the hon. Member for Stafford (Leigh Ingham), I have had two masts built in my constituency on the shared rural network scheme, but neither has been switched on. The mast in Myddfai has power and is ready to go, but Vodafone is yet to turn on the network. In Llanwinio, the mast has been built—again, over a year ago—but there is still no power connected to it. Its electricity was due to be connected in January, but based on the timescale for building the Myddfai mast, we could be waiting another year before connectivity is switched on—it really is not good enough.”
“I congratulate the hon. Member for North Shropshire (Helen Morgan) on securing this debate. Over the past 20 months or so since coming into this House, I think that rural connectivity has been the most constant issue in my inbox, which is really not surprising when we consider the fact that my constituency is 69% rural and still suffers from a large number of notspots. A report issued by Vodafone in November 2023 found that nearly half of rural deprived areas are classed as 5G notspots, whereas the same can be said of only 2.7% of urban deprived areas. Ofcom’s “Connected Nations” report, published in November 2025, provided further evidence of rural areas lagging behind urban areas in both 5G and 4G access. Both those reports show how rural connectivity falls short of what urban areas receive.”
“Community energy has an important role to play in Wales. It powers around 17,500 homes, many of which are in my constituency of Caerfyrddin, with Ynni Sir Gâr leading the way. I welcome the local power plan and its funding envelope of £1 billion, and hope that we can rapidly expand on that number. Will the Secretary of State tell me more about how this funding will be fairly distributed across the UK? Will he introduce a ringfence to ensure that Wales and the other devolved nations, Scotland and Northern Ireland, receive, at minimum, their population share?”
“We in Wales know how this story ends. The former Welsh First Minister, Vaughan Gething, was forced to resign following a serious error of judgment; the Prime Minister had expressed full confidence in him. The Prime Minister then went on to appoint Peter Mandelson, despite his association with a convicted paedophile being a matter of public record. What lessons, if any, does the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister draw from this pattern of poor judgment at the very top of Government?”
“I thank the Minister for her announcement today. At the end of the day, cancer will affect one in two of us—those are the statistics now. May I also thank colleagues for highlighting the difference in treatment between rural and urban areas? In Wales, we do not even have a plan yet. Without urgent action, there will continue to be inequalities and long waiting times for the people of Wales. That is why, with input from the European Cancer Organisation, Plaid has developed its own cancer plan. What does the Minister make of the decision of Welsh Labour colleagues not to implement a plan in Wales, and why do we not have parity with the rest of the country?”
“I join the PCS Union’s call for a bespoke compensation scheme that takes account of interest on overdue payments and the financial implications of delays, as well as the distress that this scandal has caused them. I urge the Minister and the Department, once the backlog of 90,000 cases is rectified, all pension payments have been issued and a compensation scheme has been set up, to act on the Public Accounts Committee’s report and consider bringing civil servants’ pensions back in-house to help prevent such a scandal from ever happening again.”
“Member for Blackpool North and Fleetwood (Lorraine Beavers) described. Sarah submitted the application again in July, and in November she was told that all the necessary paperwork had been received, but she did not hear back until last week. When I raised Sarah’s case during a business statement, it seemed to catch Capita’s attention, as Sarah has finally received a response, and a lump sum. But the sum was miscalculated, so I have had to write to Capita again, and you have guessed it: no response. This is just not good enough. It is inexcusable that more than 8,000 people who retired more than 12 months ago still have not received their pension payments. Retired and retiring civil servants left in this position should seek, and have, compensation.”
“I have sent a letter to Capita, outlining Steve’s case and urging action. I have had an acknowledgment but no action. Rhiannon Davies-Laughlin, another constituent, has contacted Capita multiple times to request pension details but has not received a response. She also requested an annual benefit statement and was told to wait to hear within 10 days. She never did. She had to resign from her job and was due to finish work yesterday. She was intending to retire, but still does not know her pension position. I have written to Capita; I have not received a response. We could go on to talk about many more cases, but we will finish with Sarah Rees. Last February, Sarah applied to receive her pension early because of ill health. That application was lost. The situation was similar to what the hon.”
“Diolch yn fawr, Ms Lewell; it is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship. I thank the hon. Member for Blackpool North and Fleetwood (Lorraine Beavers) for securing the debate. My corner of west Wales, Caerfyrddin, is no different. Multiple constituents have come to me with unacceptable experiences of trying to access their civil service pensions, as administered by Capita. Among them is Steve Dawkins, who retired this month after 24 years as a civil servant. Steve followed all the procedures and submitted his formal notice of retirement, but he has not received a formal acknowledgment of his pension claim, nor an indication of when his lump sum or monthly pension payments might be expected. His salary has stopped and he is not eligible for his state pension until September.”
“I am glad that the UK Government are finally taking action on child poverty and removing the two-child cap on universal credit—a policy, of course, that Plaid has opposed from the start. However, more than one in five households affected by the two-child limit will not benefit because of the cap on benefits. Does the Secretary of State agree that the Government should now lift the benefit cap, so that every eligible household and every eligible child receives the full support this Bill sets out to provide?”
“The classification of Northern Powerhouse Rail as an England-Wales project is short-changing Wales of up to £1.5 billion. Plaid Cymru is clear that we need an immediate devolution of rail to end this funding scandal, and even the Labour First Minister of Wales has claimed that she wants rail to be devolved. Will the Secretary of State tell me how many official requests the Welsh Government have made for the devolution of rail in Wales?”
“The question to the Prime Minister yesterday from the hon. Member for East Londonderry (Mr Campbell) rang a bell with me. Many of my constituents are waiting for their civil service pensions, which are administered by Capita. Sarah Elizabeth Rees had to retire due to ill health in February last year, but a year on, she still has not had her pension and has nothing to support her or pay her bills. We have written five letters to the relevant Department. We have had one reply, which asked for confirmation of name, address and national insurance number. That really is not good enough. I kindly ask whether the Leader of the House will allow for a debate in Government time to discuss fully the issues that have arisen for all our constituents.”
“With core standards implemented alongside balanced and commercially meaningful trade deals, not only can international trade drive economic growth, but it can help our farmers to become sustainable, resilient and supported businesses. Diolch.”
“If we can do it in Carmarthenshire, surely more councils can support our local agricultural community in that way. We all need and deserve sustainably produced, fresh, nutritionally dense food. We are all aware that we import about 40% of the food that we consume, but none of this food is subject to minimal animal welfare or environmental production standards. Input standards are almost entirely related to product safety and the threat to human health and the environment, rather than to how they are produced. Establishing animal welfare and environmental core standards will ensure that the food we eat, whether it is produced at home or abroad, meets the high expectations of British consumers.”
“Only one Department, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, had a policy, and only one other Department, the Department of Health and Social Care, could say how much local food it procured. Of the 215 local authorities, only 26 could provide information on the amount of UK or local food they procured. That really is not good enough. We produce only 60% of what we consume. If we support locally produced food, we will import less. Locally in Caerfyrddin, Carmarthenshire county council is working hard to ensure that we put locally produced food on the public plate. That work is being done on a council-owned farm, in partnership with Social Farms and Gardens, Castell Howell Foods, Hywel Dda university health board and others, to give top-quality vegetables to our children and elderly.”
“Animal welfare strategies, such as the one introduced for England last month, highlight the link between welfare standards and food security. The public agree that imported food must be of a standard equal to home-produced food, but that has to be mirrored in the trade agreements that are negotiated. Our farming community cannot be traded off, as has happened in the American deal. The farming community deserves no less than equality in standards, and my Caerfyrddin farmers certainly deserve no less. Interestingly, the Countryside Alliance acquired some figures through a freedom of information request to see how many local authorities and Government Departments procured UK and local food, and whether those organisations had a policy to buy local food.”
“Diolch yn fawr, Madam Dirprwy Lefarydd. I refer the House to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests; as most hon. Members know, I am a dairy and sheep farmer from west Wales. I am very aware of the volatility of markets and its effect on our sector. Sheep and beef prices have been steady for the past year or so, but dairy has absolutely crashed since August or September: it is down by between 9p and 12p a litre, which is about 25% to 30% of income, with inputs remaining exactly the same. That is unsustainable. The welfare standards to which we adhere when producing food here is exemplary, and standards continue to rise. However, while setting even higher standards at home, we allow the import of products produced in countries with lower standards.”