Mr. Paul Savage:

-----and the development objectives for the sector being at variance with climate change objectives? It is slightly outside my personal brief. I am certainly focused on Brexit, its impact and what it means for the sector. That is very much the focus in terms of the practical response also. To make a general comment, I certainly do not agree that climate change considerations are somehow secondary and suddenly have been relegated in the context of how we envisage the development of the sector. Individuals throughout the sector, and certainly officials in the Department and the Minister, are acutely aware of the challenges and the need to balance development plans for the sector with our climate action responsibilities.

Food Wise 2025 is underpinned at every turn by the need to ensure sustainability in the way we go about our food production. That will continue to inform the process and what we are doing on the ground in terms of the development of the sector. One could not say that climate change aspects have suddenly been relegated. The climate change challenges still face us and we have to meet the two objectives. We say very clearly, in the context of Food Wise 2025, that sustainability and development go hand in hand. One cannot have one without the other. One needs the economic development of the sector but it has to be underpinned by sustainability, not least because consumers all over the world are looking for assurance on the sustainability of our production methods and the extent to which we can stand over claims about our sustainability. We understand that and the competition that exists between the two objectives. We do not see the two as mutually exclusive because they have to go hand in hand. The climate challenge is not being relegated in any way in our minds. We are still doing a lot of work as a Department on trying to push that agenda forward. Obviously, my concentration is on Brexit and its impact but it would not be fair to say we are relegating climate considerations while we focus purely on the Brexit response.