Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Gateshead South)
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 Gateshead South)
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 Gateshead South)
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 Gateshead South)
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
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 Gateshead South)
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
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 Gateshead South)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department's Clean Air Strategy will include meeting the World Health Organisation’s limit for fine particular matter PM2.5.
Answered by Baroness Coffey
Our recently published draft Clean Air Strategy stated that although the UK is compliant with the current EU limit values for particulate matter, the Government is committed to reducing concentrations further. In doing so we will halve the number of people living in locations where PM2.5 levels exceed World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines by 2025.We are the first major developed economy to adopt goals based on WHO guidelines, going far beyond EU requirements. The WHO have welcomed our Clean Air Strategy.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Gateshead South)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department's Clean Air Strategy will include steps to increase levels of travel by (a) walking, (b) cycling, and (c) public transport.
Answered by Baroness Coffey
The Clean Air Strategy consultation set out the approach we are taking to reduce emissions from transport, which includes encouraging walking, cycling and use of public transport. We are currently assessing the responses to the consultation.
The Government has already committed to significant investment through the £1.7 billion Transforming Cities Fund which aims to reduce congestion and increase productivity through improved connectivity and public transport in major cities. We are also implementing the Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy, which identifies up to £1.2 billion that may be invested in cycling and walking from 2016-21 to double the level of cycling by 2025 and to reverse the decline in walking.