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 plans to provide dedicated financial resources to the Food Crime Unit in the Food Standards Agency; and if she will make a statement.

Funding for the Food Crime Unit will be met from the existing FSA budgets and will be approximately £1.5 million throughout the first year, rising to £2 million in the second year. The unit has been operational since the end of 2014. Its initial work is focusing on building intelligence and evidence on food crime in the UK. A review will be undertaken after two years that will consider future likely needs and budget implications.