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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what support the Government provides to (a) English and (b) Welsh wine producers.

The Government has championed the success of English and Welsh wine producers for many years and the sector continues to be a fast-growing magnet for domestic and foreign investment. I am delighted to hear from wine producers that vineyards anticipate a record-breaking 2023 harvest in size and quality.

The Government is committed to supporting our booming wine sector. Defra recently published plans to reform the outdated and overly restrictive wine laws inherited from the EU. The primary purpose of the reforms is to remove barriers to growth, foster innovation in the sector and have a simplified rulebook that supports rather than hinders our producers. The plans include giving producers access to the latest winemaking practices and processes, changing labelling rules to support the marketing of innovative products and measures to reduce packaging waste and associated costs.

The reforms, developed in partnership with the sector, will maintain the UK's high food and drink standards. At the same time, the reforms offer our wine producers clearer rules, offering new opportunities for the sector to grow and innovate in the future.