Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Sunderland West)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the effect on food supplies of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
We would prefer to leave with a deal and we will work in an energetic and determined way to deliver that better deal.
The UK food and drink supply chain contributes £121 billion to the economy and employs four million people (12% of UK employment). Food and drink manufacturing is the largest manufacturing sector in the UK, while food and drink retail is the largest service sector employer.
Consumers have access to a wide range of food products when they shop and this will continue once we leave the EU. However, if key trade routes are temporarily disrupted, there would be reduced availability and choice of certain food products, including some of the fresh produce we import from the EU. If we have to leave with no deal, there will not be an overall shortage of food in the UK.
While we are reliant on imports of certain fresh products at this time of year, our market profiles clearly demonstrate strong UK winter production of many root vegetables such as cabbage, carrots, swedes, turnips, parsnips and leeks.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Sunderland West)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential effect on food supplies in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.
Answered by George Eustice
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Sunderland West)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on food (a) supply and (b) disruption in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal on 31 October 2019.
Answered by George Eustice
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Sunderland West)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure the maintenance of food suppliers in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.
Answered by George Eustice
The UK’s high degree of food security is built on access to a range of sources including strong domestic production and imports from other countries. This will continue to be the case whether we leave the EU with or without a deal.
Defra Ministers and officials meet regularly with the food industry to understand the potential impacts of leaving with no deal at the end of October and support contingency planning by the industry. This includes working with Defra’s long established Food Chain Emergency Liaison Group (FCELG). The FCELG membership is drawn from across the agri-food chain industry sectors from farm to fork.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Sunderland West)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure adequacy of the provision of food for (a) hospitals, (b) schools and (c) care settings in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal on 31 October 2019.
Answered by George Eustice
Public sector food provision for specific sectors including hospitals, schools and care settings is led by the relevant Government departments. However, Defra has been working closely with lead Departments (DfE, DHSC, MOJ, MOD) to support their contingency planning for food supply to public services. Defra is providing advice and support to these departments especially to support their engagement with the food industry. Lead Government Departments are engaging with key suppliers for schools, hospitals and prisons to ensure the supply chain is prepared and supply is maintained.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Sunderland West)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to (a) minimise food disruption and (b) consider the possible effects food shortages could have on vulnerable groups in the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK has a high degree of food security, built on access to a range of sources including strong domestic production and imports from other countries. This will continue to be the case when we leave the EU, with or without a deal. The size and diversity of the industry is a key factor in enabling the food sector to remain resilient to food supply chain disruptions.
The Government has well established ways of working with the food industry to minimise potential disruption. This includes working with Defra’s long established Food Chain Emergency Liaison Group (FCELG), which allows Government and industry to work together to plan for and respond to any food supply disruption. This industry group’s membership is drawn from across the agri-food chain sector and includes other relevant government departments, Devolved Administrations and agencies.
On food prices, we have observed that the most important drivers of change in the cost of food are global food commodity prices, exchange rates and oil prices. This will continue to be the case once the UK has left the EU.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Sunderland West)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what contingency plans the Government has in place to support vulnerable people in the event food prices rise significantly in the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK has a high degree of food security, built on access to a range of sources including strong domestic production and imports from other countries. This will continue to be the case when we leave the EU, with or without a deal. The size and diversity of the industry is a key factor in enabling the food sector to remain resilient to food supply chain disruptions.
The Government has well established ways of working with the food industry to minimise potential disruption. This includes working with Defra’s long established Food Chain Emergency Liaison Group (FCELG), which allows Government and industry to work together to plan for and respond to any food supply disruption. This industry group’s membership is drawn from across the agri-food chain sector and includes other relevant government departments, Devolved Administrations and agencies.
On food prices, we have observed that the most important drivers of change in the cost of food are global food commodity prices, exchange rates and oil prices. This will continue to be the case once the UK has left the EU.