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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to help support the refining capabilities of sustainable palm oil in the UK.

The Government is committed to supporting sustainable production, import and use of palm oil. The UK has a highly resilient edible oil refining sector, which crushes domestically grown oilseeds and refines many different types of oils, including sustainable palm oil, which are produced either in the UK or imported from overseas. The sector has coped well in responding to recent unprecedented challenges, including high energy prices and supply constraints due to geopolitical events.

Defra is working closely with the major refiners and their trade body, the Seed Crushers and Oil Processors Association, to understand the impacts of global events on supply chains and to provide an opportunity for the industry to discuss where any Government support may be needed.

We continue to work with industry, including with supermarkets and manufacturers, to support sustainable production and use of palm oil. In 2012, the Government established the UK Roundtable on Sourcing Sustainable Palm Oil, bringing together key British businesses and supporting them to move to sustainable palm oil supply chains. In 2020 71% of palm oil and palm kernel oil imports into the UK were certified sustainable – up from 16% in 2010.