Results 1-20 of 2,378 for (in the 'Commons debates' OR in the 'Westminster Hall debates' OR in the 'Lords debates' OR in the 'Northern Ireland Assembly debates') speaker:James Paice

Farm Animal Welfare (3 Nov 2009)

James Paice: I thank the Minister for what he has said. He is right that there is an issue with buyers being responsible for stationery, desks and everything else including food. That is the problem. The person buying the food should be not the purchasing officer, but the person responsible for preparing the food. If we drive decisions further down, we will get the benefit.

Farm Animal Welfare (3 Nov 2009)

James Paice: I am slightly disappointed that there has not been more interest in the debate from hon. Members on both sides of the House, although we are obviously all conscious of the pressure on Members' diaries. None the less, I congratulate the hon. Member for Sunderland, South (Mr. Mullin). In former times, when he was a DEFRA Minister, he and I debated some of the issues before us, and I know how...

Farm Animal Welfare (3 Nov 2009)

James Paice: I am happy to accept that it may have been one of the reasons why the EU was eventually persuaded to apply the same rules across the whole Union. That brings me conveniently to the issue of eggs, on which the hon. Gentleman concentrated, and on which I want to ask the Minister a couple of questions. As the hon. Gentleman said, the EU has banned conventional battery cages from 1 January 2012....

Farm Animal Welfare (3 Nov 2009)

James Paice: I hope not.

Oral Answers to Questions — Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Farmers (Suicides) (29 Oct 2009) has video

James Paice: I wish to pursue the same line of questioning. Has the Secretary of State yet seen and read the report, which I am told is now available, by vets on the continued studies of the incidence of TB after proactive culling has ended in the trial areas? Will he publish it soon, and then we will all know that the incidence has continued to decline since the culling of badgers stopped?

Oral Answers to Questions — Prime Minister: Engagements (15 Jul 2009) has video

James Paice: I am sure that the Prime Minister is right that it takes time to equip helicopters and to train the crews for Afghanistan, but why does he pretend that the need has only arisen today? The reality is that we have been there for eight years, troop numbers have been rising throughout that time, and the demand for an increase in the number of helicopters has gone on rising. Why are they still...

Oral Answers to Questions — Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Common Agricultural Policy (2 Jul 2009) has video

James Paice: Very recently, the Secretary of State persuaded the rest of the EU to allow him to keep set-aside. It is widely rumoured that he will announce at the royal show next week that he will accept the voluntary approach. If he does, we will support him, as that would be the right decision. Does he agree that the success of the voluntary approach should not be measured simply by what area of land is...

Bill Presented: Food, Farming and the Environment (18 Jun 2009) has video

James Paice: Not only the Minister's immediate predecessor, but the one before supports a badger cull. Lord Rooker has made it clear that he thinks that the Government's policy is wrong, and he was in the job for several years.

Bill Presented: Food, Farming and the Environment (18 Jun 2009) has video

James Paice: I remind the House of my interests as registered. Although I obviously accept the apologies that the Secretary of State has given, I am sorry that he could not arrange his affairs so that he could be here, because he has missed a good debate. He has missed some very sensible, wise contributions from both sides of the House, without exception, from colleagues who have described issues in their...

Bill Presented: Food, Farming and the Environment (18 Jun 2009) has video

James Paice: Indeed, my hon. Friend says the same, but whatever. We had a good time—that is the important thing. The cider was excellent. The hon. Member for Somerton and Frome also referred to the importance of public understanding and knowledge of the industry. The hon. Member for Blaydon (Mr. Anderson) made a heartfelt, moving speech. He spoke about the red kite, and I share his joy at the...

Bill Presented: Food, Farming and the Environment (18 Jun 2009) has video

James Paice: I am not quite sure that I follow the hon. Gentleman. If he is saying that the Government should impose the ombudsman quickly, I have a lot of sympathy with that point of view. We certainly cannot let the current arrangements go on ad nauseam. Several Members referred to research and development, and my right hon. Friend the Member for Fylde referred to the fact that DEFRA now spends less on...

Bill Presented: Food, Farming and the Environment (18 Jun 2009) has video

James Paice: I would not want, in any way, to suggest that I do not accept the Secretary of State's sincerity on British agriculture. However, does he think that it is helped by the fact that his own Department's website still publishes the 2005 document on its vision for agriculture? It clearly states that domestic food production is not necessary, as he well knows, because I have chided him on it...

Bill Presented: Food, Farming and the Environment (18 Jun 2009) has video

James Paice: Why is it on the website?

Bill Presented: Food, Farming and the Environment (18 Jun 2009) has video

James Paice: This is a genuine inquiry; I am not trying to make any particular point. The Secretary of State knows that we supported the approach of voluntary bluetongue vaccination, which, as he rightly said, was handled pretty well last year and was a great success. However, we are now facing the future—and, anecdotally, a significant decline in the amount of animals vaccinated this year. That is...

Opposition Day — [13th Allotted Day]: Rural Communities (Recession) (15 Jun 2009) has video

James Paice: May I start by properly welcoming both new Ministers to the Department? The hon. Member for Poplar and Canning Town (Jim Fitzpatrick) has a hard act to follow. The right hon. Member for Liverpool, Wavertree (Jane Kennedy) was in the Chamber a few minutes ago but, sadly, she has left her place. I wanted to commend her because despite the fact that, like the new Minister, she came into the...

Opposition Day — [13th Allotted Day]: Rural Communities (Recession) (15 Jun 2009) has video

James Paice: No, I apologise—

Opposition Day — [13th Allotted Day]: Rural Communities (Recession) (15 Jun 2009) has video

James Paice: The 1980s are a subject for another day, but I assure the hon. Gentleman that I probably have a much better recollection of them than he has, as I presume he was doing his GCSEs at the time. The point is that if local decision making is given to local communities, they will be much more amenable to allowing houses to be built in their communities, instead of having them imposed from the top...

Opposition Day — [13th Allotted Day]: Rural Communities (Recession) (15 Jun 2009) has video

James Paice: I congratulate the Minister on his appointment. Before he finishes his catalogue of what he thinks is going right in rural areas, will he address the issue of poverty, and the fact that it is higher in rural areas than in urban areas? Indeed, according to the Commission for Rural Communities, it is rising faster in rural areas.

Small Businesses (HBOS) (2 Jun 2009)

James Paice: rose—

Small Businesses (HBOS) (2 Jun 2009)

James Paice: Thank you very much, Mr. Taylor. I am grateful for the opportunity to raise this issue. I am also grateful to my many right hon. and hon. Friends who have joined me. As you rightly said, it will be a challenge to get everyone in in a 30-minute debate, so I will move swiftly on to the meat of the issue. The debate revolves around a number of businesses whose affairs were handled by the Reading...