Environment and Rural Affairs
Environment and Rural Affairs
The Conservative Party has always been the party of pragmatism, which we will bring to the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if we are elected into government. We will make sure that all reforms we introduce are workable and not only help the Environment, but also our citizens. Not only this, but we are passionate about our rural areas, defending liberties and cutting burdens on people who live and work in our spectacular countryside.
Pesticide
Many pesticide laws have been forced on us by the EU. While we acknowledge that many are indeed harmful to the environment, we should not be decreasing the efficiency of our farmers for the sake of misguided, over the top reactions to unscientifically tested chemicals. We will therefore conduct a thorough review of which pesticides need to remain banned, and which need to be reintroduced for the sake of our Great British Farmers.
Preventing Flooding
In areas where appropriate, we will make sure that there is regular river dredging. This is because it would help prevent future flooding and it would also be more cost effective in the long-run which will be beneficial to both the taxpayer and to people living nearby the rivers that will be dredged.
Tree-Planting Schemes
If the Conservative Party gets into government, we will build on current tree-planting schemes, and aim to have thick vegetation on the side of every motorway by 2025 so that our motorways can look more pleasant and it will also make the United kingdom a greener country.
Community Service
Minimum Security criminals will be required to carry out environment-related community service for at least 40 hours per week, for example litter-picking.
Protecting Shooting
£2bn is contributed to the UK economy each year through shooting, and is a humane pastime enjoyed by many. The Conservative party therefore reject any calls for a ban on recreational shooting, and will stand up for the sector at the EU.
Tax Breaks for Rural Businesses
Rural Businesses are under unfair strains due to weak infrastructure and simply a lack of demand. They also contribute so much to their local communities, and should be rewarded for this.To offset this, we propose that we offer tax breaks for initiative seizing small, local, rural businesses.
Protecting our fishing rights
At the moment, France infringe on our fishing rights on the south coast on an almost daily basis. This is unfair, and we will must not go on. While we are in the EU, we must not have our opinions cast aside - the Conservative Party will stand up for British fishermen, and ensure that we get a good deal in regards to quotas, while keeping fish stocks at a sustainable level.
Cutting farmers bureaucracy
Bureaucracy on our farmers is too high. Where as farming was once a trade that could be easily done by people with learning difficulties like dyslexia, the paperwork is forcing so very talented people away from the path, and this must end.
Local Trees and Hedgerows
We intend to give Parish Councils more control over their local Trees and Hedgerows in terms of banning their destruction; this will protect our hedgerows and trees, and give Parish Councils further powers - with negligible costs.
GM Food
Genetically Modified Food represents an amazing opportunity to dramatically decrease international starvation, and save millions of lives. However, this is a contentious issue, and we support regulation such as mandatory labelling.
Hunting Act
The Conservative Party would look to propose a free vote on a Repeal of the Hunting Act 2004. This is because there hasn't as of yet been a debate on the effectiveness of the bill and, whilst the party would remain neutral, we feel this would be beneficial going forward.
