Asked by: Stephen Hammond (Conservative - Wimbledon)
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 impact on consumer diets of delaying (a) the food strategy and (b) subsequent policies on encouraging (i) wholegrains, (ii) fibre and (iii) healthier substitutes.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government Food Strategy set out our plan to ensure the food system is fit for the future and supports healthy and sustainable diets and we are focused on implementing the measures in the strategy. We have committed to report on how we are taking forward our actions under the strategy alongside the next UK Food Security Report.
A balanced diet is rich in fruit and vegetables, beans, pulses and wholegrain starchy carbohydrates. It can also include dairy, fish and meat which are valuable sources of many nutrients important for human health. The Government already encourages everyone to have a healthy balanced diet in line with the UK's healthy eating model, the Eatwell Guide. The Eatwell Guide shows the proportions in which different types of foods are needed to have a well-balanced and healthy diet.
Asked by: Stephen Hammond (Conservative - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a public private partnership for whole grain on improving health outcomes.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government’s longstanding recommendations on fibre are based on the recommendations of the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN), which advises the Government on nutrition related matters. As part of its horizon scanning processes in June 2022, the committee agreed to undertake an overview and initial assessment of existing definitions of wholegrain and wholegrain foods for consideration and agreement by SACN, before consideration of any further work in this area.
Asked by: Stephen Hammond (Conservative - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take steps to publish draft legislation following the production of the Food Strategy White Paper; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government Food Strategy set out our plan to transform the food system to ensure it is fit for the future and we are focussed on implementing the plans and policies we announced in the strategy. Recently this has included publishing plans for our Independent Review into Labour Shortages in the Food Supply Chain, running a call for evidence on methane suppressing feed additives, and completing our consultations on improved reporting of food waste by large food businesses and public sector food and catering policy.
We are confident that most policies in the Food Strategy can be implemented using existing primary powers. We will continue to review the legal powers needed for our policies and will seek new legislation only where needed.
Asked by: Stephen Hammond (Conservative - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the potential impact to consumer diets of (a) delaying the food strategy and (b) focusing on policies on food deemed high in fat, sugar or salt.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government Food Strategy sets out our plan to ensure the food system is fit for the future and supports healthy and sustainable diets and are focussed on implementing the measures in this strategy. We have committed to report on how we are taking forward our actions under the strategy alongside the next UK Food Security Report.
DHSC have published impact assessments alongside all of our regulatory policies on products high in fat, salt or sugar. Restrictions on the promotion by location of products high in fat, salt or sugar in large retail settings came into force on 1 October and are expected to accrue health benefits of over £57 billion and provide NHS savings of over £4 billion, over the next 25 years. We are also working with the food industry to ensure it is easier for people to make healthier choices and increase progress on the reformulation of products.
Asked by: Stephen Hammond (Conservative - Wimbledon)
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 merits of a public-private partnership in the UK to increase the low levels of fibre intakes amongst the public.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
Defra is working with stakeholders across the food system to explore options for delivering healthier and more sustainable diets.
We have discussed a range of options to help increase consumption of fibre, fruit and vegetables (including the role of public private partnerships) and will continue to engage with industry and experts in the weeks and months ahead.
Asked by: Stephen Hammond (Conservative - Wimbledon)
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 encourage the uptake of a balanced diet including whole grains throughout the country.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
We want to create a food system that is healthier, more sustainable, more resilient, and more accessible for those across the UK. Defra continues to work with stakeholders across the food system to explore increasing consumption of healthier and more sustainable foods, including fibre and wholegrains. We have discussed a range of options to help increase consumption of fibre, fruit and vegetables (including the role of public private partnerships) and will continue to engage with industry and experts in the weeks and months ahead.
Asked by: Stephen Hammond (Conservative - Wimbledon)
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 to the potential merits of including a public-private partnership focusing on fibre in the Government’s Food Strategy White Paper.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The forthcoming Government Food Strategy is a once in a generation opportunity to create a food system that feeds our nation today and protects it for tomorrow. It will build on existing work across Government and identify new opportunities to make the food system healthier, more sustainable, more resilient, and more accessible for those across the UK.
We want to make it as easy as possible for people to shift towards a greener and more sustainable lifestyle, whilst maintaining people's freedom of choice, including on their diet. The Government's advice in the Eatwell Guide, which provides advice on how to have a healthier and more sustainable diet, recommends food that is high in fibre, fruit, and vegetables.
Defra is committed to listening to opinions from stakeholders across the entirety of the food system. We actively encourage dialogues with a wide range of stakeholders to identify options to transform the food system and are keen to work closely with industry to deliver lasting change.
Asked by: Stephen Hammond (Conservative - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what his timetable is for publishing the Food Strategy White Paper.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The Government will publish a Food Strategy in early 2022. This will consider the evidence of Henry Dimbleby’s review of the food system and build on existing work across Government to identify new opportunities to make the food system healthier, more sustainable, more resilient, and more accessible for those across the UK.
Asked by: Stephen Hammond (Conservative - Wimbledon)
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 merits of increasing the minimum fine for unlawfully depositing waste.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
There is currently no minimum fine set out in law for unlawfully depositing waste under Section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act.
Sentencing in individual cases is a matter for the independent courts. When deciding what sentence to impose for unlawfully depositing waste, the court will take into account the circumstances of the offence and any aggravating and mitigating factors in line with the Environmental Offences Definitive Guideline issued by the independent Sentencing Council for England and Wales. Where a court decides that a fine is the right sentence, the level of fine must reflect the seriousness of the offence and take into account the financial circumstances of the offender.
Instead of prosecuting, councils may choose to issue a fixed penalty notice (FPN). The value of an FPN needs to be high enough to act as a deterrent, but not too high so that offenders cannot, or choose not to, pay the penalty. Defra issued a call for evidence in 2015 prior to introducing a FPN for fly-tipping offences. The responses to the call for evidence, and further analysis, led to a default value of £200, a maximum value of £400, and a discounted minimum of £120. Similarly, in 2018 Defra consulted on introducing a FPN for householders who fail in their duty of care by passing their waste to an unlicensed waste carrier and which is then found fly-tipped. Almost three-quarters of respondents to the consultation felt that the proposed value of the FPN (discounted minimum value of £120, default value of £200 and maximum value of £400) was correct.
Asked by: Stephen Hammond (Conservative - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department has taken to prepare for the implementation of the proposed General Data Protection Regulation; which non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) and agencies overseen by her Department will be affected by that regulation; and what estimate she has made of the potential liability of her Department, its agencies and NDPBs in connection with that proposed regulation.
Answered by George Eustice
Negotiations on the proposed General Data Protection Regulation are still continuing, led by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). Defra is working closely with DCMS on this issue.
A high level assessment of the current draft proposals has been completed but we have not looked specifically at which bodies will be affected or the potential liabilities.
Once the outcome of trilogue negotiations between the Council of the European Union, the European Parliament and the Commission are complete, and the Regulation has been adopted, the impact and liabilities will be assessed for Defra and its NDPBs and agencies.