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 adequacy of support available to UK food and drink wholesalers to assist the cost of living crisis.

The Government recognises the impact rising prices are having on businesses. Businesses will have benefitted from the Government’s £400 billion package of grants, loans, business relief, VAT discounts and a rent moratorium. In addition, at the Autumn Statement, the Chancellor announced £13.6 billion of support for businesses over the next five years, reducing the burden of business rates.

Defra is taking action to maintain an efficient food supply chain by mitigating against any potential burdens or friction which could otherwise drive-up consumer food prices. Given sustained pressures, there is still uncertainty over when food price inflation will peak and begin to fall, but our expectations, supported by external evidence, are that this will be in the next few months. We are closely monitoring the situation.