After the event, the NFU’s concern about the command paper’s lack of focus on food was raised at Prime Minister’s Questions. Watch here.
After the event, Labour MP Luke Pollard said “Farming is a hugely important sector but it faces considerable uncertainty because of Brexit. Organisations like the NFU are getting on and proposing very credible and serious suggestions that will help farmers."
MPs' researcher pub quiz night a huge success: MP’s researchers are their gatekeepers. They often decide, or at least influence, which debates MPs speak in, which events MPs attend and which briefings they see. Having a good relationship with MPs staff is a vital asset, which is why we are one of the few organisations to arrange an event solely for MP’s researchers, to catch up with our most supportive MP’s offices and connect with lots of new ones.
Our MP researcher’s pub quiz was a great success - we were delighted that 42 MP’s staff attended. There were staff from more than 25 MP’s offices including the Parliamentary offices of Secretary of State Michael Gove, Farming Minister George Eustice, DEFRA Parliamentary Private Secretary Kevin Hollinrake, and Immigration Minister Caroline Nokes.
Raising the profile of rural crime: Rural crime continues to be a priority for the team. We were very pleased that the Labour Party called a debate in the House of Commons on rural crime, and their motion expressly acknowledged the work the NFU is doing. You can read the debate here. We briefed MPs before this debate. There was also a debate on fly-tipping this month, ahead of which bespoke briefings were produced for MPs.
This month we’ve met senior officials at the Ministry of Justice, to discuss what steps the department could take to further combat rural crime
We also arranged to speak to the Policing Minister, Nick Hurd MP, on possible amendments to the Hunting Act to improve policing of hare coursing.
Keeping up pressure for access to a reliable workforce: We continually raise the concerns of members about their ability to access a secure and reliable workforce. Working with colleagues, we arranged a meeting at 10 Downing Street to brief senior officials on the latest evidence about the shortage of seasonal agricultural workers. Minette Batters spoke at a roundtable on the agriculture workforce, attended by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Esther McVey MP.