AGRICULTURE & THE ENVIRONMENT

I have often wondered why we are so reliant on agricultural imports, when it is not so long ago that Britain was self sufficient in so many items.
Our new agricultural policies address both this issue, and at the same time set out how to save the environment. Our agenda is set out today by shadow cabinet member Nick Herbert.
Our new policy paper has five key aims: to enable increased production whilst protecting the environment, to promote fair competition, to reduce the burden of regulation, to further reform the Common Agricultural Policy, and to take action on animal disease.
‘Our Agenda for British Farming' sets out two major new proposals:
• The introduction of rules into the new national planning framework to prevent the development of the most fertile farmland, in all but exceptional circumstances.
• Fundamental reform of the Rural Payments Agency, appointing the Minister for Farming as Chairman of its Management Board, to improve accountability, reduce costs and drive up performance.
Key Conservative pledges are set out to:
• Commission within the first three months of taking office an industry-led review of all existing regulations with a view to reducing burdens without compromising standards.
• Introduce legislation on country of origin labelling if a comprehensive voluntary agreement cannot be reached.
• Ensure that all food served in Government departments meets British standards of production, wherever this can be delivered without increasing overall costs.
Nick Herbert has said "Labour has persistently under-valued British agriculture, failing to understand that we all depend on the production of food, while the countryside relies on farmers' stewardship of the environment. Despite its importance to our food security, the protection of our best farmland has been downgraded and the Government has over-ridden councils who have sought to keep in place local protection of this valuable asset. In this new age of agriculture, we need to strengthen the protection of our most fertile farmland and recognise its importance as a national resource for future generations."
Our Shadow Agriculture and Rural Affairs Minister, added:
"Our Agenda for British Farming sets out practical proposals to foster a more productive, sustainable and competitive farming industry. British farmers safeguard our food security, maintain the countryside and provide the raw materials for the UK's largest manufacturing sector. This represents an enormous contribution to our national well-being and resilience. It is about time this was reflected by a government which understands the realities of farming and creates the conditions in which the industry can thrive."

STOP GARDENS BEING CONCRETED OVER!

The practice of “garden grabbing”, where developers build homes or blocks of flats on back gardens, is dramatically changing the character of many suburban areas throughout the UK, leading to high levels of unsustainable development and increasing housing densities in areas previously characterised as leafy suburbs. Some figures suggest that over 180,000 buildings have been put on back gardens in the last five years.
Conservatives have been warning about such development, which often puts strain on local services and causes substantial environmental damage, for some time. We have pointed to two key factors driving “garden grabbing”, namely the fact that gardens are classified as brownfield land and the iniquitous government density targets that have the consequence of forcing the largest number of units onto the smallest space possible.
A new Conservative government would reverse the classification of gardens as brownfield and abolish density targets allowing local communities to protect the character of the area in which they live. This is in stark contrast to Labour who have turned a blind eye whilst thousands of back gardens have been concreted over and some communities changed forever.
This problem is of great concern to many people in Brighton Kemptown. I am delighted with this policy, and hope it will soon be enacted if we are elected!

OSBORNE ENVIRONMENT SPEECH

I was glad to see the speech from George Osborne concerning environmental issues.
He made clear the need for urgent action on the environment, and other shadow cabinet members will be talking on this issue later this week.
I know that the people of Brighton Kemptown are concerned that real action not words is taken to fight against climate change, and Brighton & Hove Conservative run Council is taking action now!
A Conservative Treasury will play a central role in the fight against climate change, unleashing green finance and helping to generate the green jobs, businesses and growth that Britain needs.

There will be a requirement for government departments to cut their energy bills by 10 per cent within 12 months of the election. We will also boost green finance with a new Green Investment Bank and Green ISA’s, and make it pay to go green by helping local councils to pay the public to recycle. In Windsor, this innovative approach to recycling has increased recycling rates by 30 per cent.