As part of the EFRA committee check-ups on the Government’s progress in delivering the Environmental Land Management Schemes (ELMS), Barry asked a series of questions of Mark Spencer, the food minister, and Janet Hughes, the Future Farming Programme Director at DEFRA, starting with whether the department has assessed how large the ELMS budget needs to be, beyond 2024, to ensure that farming contributes to net zero and Environment Act targets.
Watch his questions below 🔽
In an Oral Evidence session on 25 October, Barry questioned Rachel Hartnell, Science Director of the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquiculture Science about the contamination caused by the dredging of the River Tees.
Barry questions Henry Dimbleby, the government’s lead on the National Food Strategy, about the government’s response to his recommendations.
Watch Barry cross-questioning the new climate minister Graham Stuart on the government’s approach to accelerating the transition from fossil fuels and securing energy supplies.
It was a somewhat spikey exchange, which included an apparant announcement of a windfall tax on renewables, not the fossil fuel producers 🔽
In the 2nd part of the EFRA Committee hearing on marine mammals, Barry questions Chris Butler Stroud, Chief Executive at Whale and Dolphin Conservation, Dr Mark Simmonds OBE, Director of Science at Ocean Care and Lucy Babey, Deputy Director and Head of Science & Conservation at ORCA, cetacean conservation charity.
Barry questioned Professor David Lusseau, Professor of Marine Sustainability, National Institute of Aquatic Resources at Technical University of Denmark; Rob Deaville, Project Manager at UK Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme (CSIP); and Dr Carol Sparling, Director at Sea Mammal Research Unit (SMRU) about the issues affecting marine mammals, in the UK and around the world.
Barry quizzes the National Trust, Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust and North York Moors National Park Authority, National Parks England.
WATCH Barry question representatives of the National Farmers’ Union (NFU), Tenant Farmers Association and the Country Land and Business Association about the distribution of funds in the Environmental Land Management Scheme.
WATCH Barry quizzing Andy Samuel, Chief Executive, North Sea Transition Authority, on the so-called “ambitious” target of reducing emissions by 50 per cent by 2030 - given they are based on an assumption that there will be less production by then, rather than actually reducing them on each oil field.
In part 2, Barry seeks answers about the electrification of oil and gas platforms.
Barry used this week’s Environmental Audit Committee meeting to question leading representatives of three oil and gas companies – BP, Shell and Harbour Energy – on why they think they shouldn’t pay the levels of tax that the public think they should.
The day after record temperatures brought the UK to a near standstill, it was a timely, lively and eye-opening session.
WATCH Barry’s questioning here 🔽
Barry interrogates the Rt Hon. the Lord Deben, Chair, Climate Change Committee; Mike Thompson, Chief Economist, Climate Change Committee
Watch below 🔽
Let’s start with what practical difference Integated Care Boards (ICBs), and all the other acronyms in our NHS, are really doing to improve mental health care for rural people?
WATCH Barry at the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee quizzing Claire Murdoch, National Director for Mental Health, NHS England, Amantha Allen, Chief Executive, North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board, DEFRA ministers and others 🔽
Barry took part in a joint session of EFRA and the Environment Audit Committee, grilling Alan Lovell, the Government’s preferred candidate to be the Chair of the Environment Agency.
He focussed in particular on why Mr Lovell had proposed a restructuring and integration of Natural England and the Environment Agency. The answers he got raised more questions than answers about the candidate’s knowledge and suitability for the role.
WATCH some of the highlights 🔽
Barry used a session on the environmental protection policies of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to question the minister George Eustice MP on whether the government was delaying the phasing out fossil fuel-based fertilisers.
WATCH below.
Barry questions Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, Chief Executive Officer and Chair at Global Environment Facility (GEF) and former Costa Rican Environment and Energy Minister, about the challenge of ensuring that participating countries adhere to UN conventions and agreements given their different environmental priorities.
WATCH 🔽
When the business secretary says he is minded to “change the definition of green” in the green taxonomy, so that natural gas is classed as green, would you say that he’s colour blind, or is he using semantics to change the meaning of the word? To what extent should further investments in gas production be classed as green?
WATCH Barry questioning representatives of the energy, oil and gas industry, along with other experts and campaigners in the field, on whether the government’s strategy on securing energy supplies by increasing domestic oil and gas production is compatible with the UK’s climate change commitments and ensuring a just transition for workers.
EFRA held the first session of its inquiry into the UK Seafood Fund (UKSF) on 7 June, looking at how the UKSF will help overcome the challenges facing the fishing industry, ports, processors, training and coastal communities.
Barry started by asking Barrie Deas, chief executive at the National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations, what steps are being taken to ensure that the smallest of ports, with the smallest of boats, are getting the support and funding they need to survive in the post-Brexit environment.
In part two of the session, Barry delved into issues around attracting unskilled people into the seafood industry, including the barriers to training and development, and how the fund can help colleges deliver skipper courses and other learning remotely.
WATCH both sessions 🔽
As part of the Environmental Audit Committee’s inquiry into the ability of technologies, fuels and operational efficiencies to reduce the aviation sector’s emissions and what government action is needed to meet its stated targets, Barry asked Emma Gilthorpe, CEO of the Jet Zero Council, how fast the UK is moving relative to our objectives, and whether we’re putting in enough resources to get there.
WATCH his questioning 🔽
As part of EFRA’s inquiry into the work of the Environment Agency, Barry questioned agency chair Emma Howard Boyd on the assessments that are done on the differential costs of soft, green infrastructure versus hard concrete and steel in the maintenance of flood defences.
WATCH below 🔽
Barry quizzed Professor Lorand Bartels, chair of the Australian Trade and Agriculture Commission, on the implications for sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) checks and for environmental standards, of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Australia and the UK.
In part 2, Barry questioned DEFRA minister Victoria Prentis, Minister for Farming, Fisheries and Food, Department for Environment, Rt Hon Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Trade Policy, Department for International Trade and James Clarke, Deputy Chief Negotiator, Department for International Trade.
WATCH 🔽