Protecting and Restoring Nature: COP15 and Beyond

I could not agree more with the right hon. Lady. In fact, I will come on to say a few words about...

I am listening very carefully to what the hon. Lady has to say. Does she agree that one of the mo...

I am delighted to agree with the right hon. Gentleman about the Westbury incinerator in particula...

Does the hon. Member recall that we set out a biodiversity target to halt the decline in nature b...

I am genuinely struggling to know how to answer the hon. Gentleman’s question. I want to say yes,...

The hon. Lady is making an excellent speech and I agree with her on protecting habitats, grasslan...

I am very grateful to the right hon. Gentleman for that intervention. He is absolutely right: tha...

It is a great pleasure to be speaking in the debate this afternoon. While I do not always share t...

I am listening with interest to the comments that my right hon. Friend has made. It is unfortunat...

I absolutely agree with that. I hope that he or she—whoever is elected—will do that. One of the q...

I absolutely agree with what the right hon. Gentleman has just said. Does he not also think that ...

I do not often agree with the right hon. Gentleman, but I absolutely agree with him on that point...

Just to be clear on the record, I absolutely agree that people in developing countries who would ...

But if we do not help them to grow their GDP—and do that in a sustainable, nature-friendly way th...

I am so glad to be called in this important debate. I thank the Backbench Business Committee for ...

I am really pleased that this debate is happening today and that we are able to have a serious di...

I congratulate the hon. Member for Brighton, Pavilion (Caroline Lucas) on securing the debate and...

My right hon. Friend’s point about connectivity is very important. Is he aware of the agreement b...

I was not aware of that—I am now—and what a great idea for countries to work together in that way...

I am sorry that I could not be here for the beginning of the debate. Is there not a concern that ...

Yes, I do. There was cross-party support in the House of Commons for the Marine and Coastal Acces...

rose—

Ah! The right hon. Gentleman has returned.

I apologise for popping out briefly for a family call. Last summer, I went to the far north of Sc...

I agree completely. There are one or two insects in the north of Scotland—midges in particular—th...

I commend the right hon. Gentleman for the planting that he has done on his acres of land. He spo...

I agree completely. There should be no limit to the number of trees that we can plant. We can eac...

I am delighted to follow my right hon. Friend the Member for Leeds Central (Hilary Benn) and the ...

Will my hon. Friend give way?

Will my hon. Friend give way?

I will give both ways, but not simultaneously. I will give way first to my hon. Friend the Member...

I thank my hon. Friend. What he is saying about data is a huge issue for the small island develop...

My hon. Friend is entirely right. One of the constant problems, particularly in our overseas terr...

I absolutely agree that there has to be a measurement of the effect on the natural world and the ...

Indeed. One of the things COP15 is grappling with at the moment is how to reconcile the different...

This is why my argument is around a real focus on the restoration of degraded land. Semi-desert s...

I welcome the right hon. Gentleman’s intervention. He is right that we need to look at land resto...

On the amount of money we need to give to help countries in the global south to cope, those count...

I am delighted that my hon. Friend made that intervention at precisely that moment, because it en...

I call the SNP spokesperson, Deidre Brock.

3.27 pm

I commend the hon. Member for Brighton, Pavilion (Caroline Lucas) for securing this debate, and I...

rose—

I had not noticed the right hon. Gentleman coming in, but of course I will give way to him.

I have been here for quite a while now—I am just a quiet presence, so I would not be noticed.

I thank the right hon. Gentleman for his contribution. Absolutely, these are things that the Scot...

I certainly would not roll my eyes, and I pay tribute to the Scottish Government for setting up t...

I absolutely agree with the hon. Gentleman. Further to that, a global partnership led by the Scot...

I rise today in place of my hon. Friend the Member for Leeds North West (Alex Sobel), who is on a...

I was under instruction, had I been able to make a speech, to mention that I am parliamentary spe...

I pay tribute to my hon. Friend for the great work she does on biodiversity and as a swift champi...

I welcome the new Minister to his position.

3.52 pm

Thank you very much, Mr Deputy Speaker. I thank the Backbench Business Committee for enabling thi...

Given the significance of COP15, will the Prime Minister—whoever that may be—be attending it on b...

I was going to come to that later, but I will respond to it now. I am sure the hon. Member would ...

The Minister is obviously not able to give an indication yet of whether the Prime Minister will b...

I am slightly disappointed that the hon. Member does not think that is me, because it is very cle...

Will the Minister confirm that, even though COP15 is taking place in Montreal, the presidency is ...

Yes, the hon. Gentleman is right about the presidency, which goes with the host nation, but I thi...

indicated assent.

As I was saying, we are leading from the front to ensure that we have the policies and finance in...

I think the whole House understands why the Minister is unable or reluctant to commit the Prime M...

As I am sure the hon. Gentleman appreciates, I cannot do so, for the very same reason that I cann...

The Minister is absolutely right: the two fishing organisations in Northern Ireland, the Anglo-No...

The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right: most farms and fishing businesses are passed down from ge...

Has the Minister had a chance to look at the comments made yesterday by Emma Howard Boyd, the cha...

I am very grateful to the right hon. Gentleman for his intervention and for raising that very imp...

I am hugely grateful to all hon. and right hon. Members who have taken part in this debate. What ...

On a point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker. The Health Service Journal is reporting that the Minister...

I thank the hon. Member for his point of order and for forward notice of it. I have not been give...