Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has held recent discussions with trade union representatives on food security.

We have recently not held discussions with trade union representatives on food security but do engage regularly with trade bodies such as the National Farmers Union and Food and Drink Federation on food security and other issues.

We continue to work closely with external partners across the food supply industry to understand, assess and monitor the food and drink supply. Defra works closely with the major food retailers to understand consumer behaviour and if/how this is impacted by pressures on the supply chain.

The UK has a highly resilient food supply chain. It is well equipped to deal with situations with the potential to cause disruption. Our high degree of food security is built on supply from diverse sources; strong domestic production as well as imports through stable trade routes. Defra has a collaborative relationship with industry which allows us to effectively respond to disruption, should it occur.