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 engage with food manufacturers and the food manufacturing supply chain to protect food availability.

The Government has well-established ways of working with the food industry during disruption to supply situations. The industry are working around the clock to ensure people have the food and products they need. Industry is adapting quickly to any changes in demands, and food supply into and across the UK is resilient.

The Secretary of State is holding regular conversations with industry to discuss any additional support Government can provide. To help industry respond to this unprecedented demand we have already introduced new measures to keep food supply flowing. We have issued guidance to local authorities to allow extended delivery hours to supermarkets so that shelves can be filled up quicker, and we have implemented extensions to drivers’ hours. We are also temporarily relaxing certain elements of competition law to ensure retailers are able to collaborate effectively in the national interest.

The Government is also implementing a system to support those whose underlying health conditions mean they are at highest clinical risk for COVID-19, and who are therefore being asked to self-isolate for the main period of the coronavirus epidemic. This will include a free grocery pack containing a basic selection of food and other essential household items which will be delivered to those at home and unable to make other arrangements for as long as needed throughout that period.

We will continue to work closely with the industry over the coming days and months.