Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the proposed tariff reduction for everyday essentials on the (a) British farming and (b) British food production industries.

The package is focused on products bought by households across the UK on a weekly basis. Some of those, such as chocolate and crisps, are produced in the UK as well as being imported. Others are mainly imported.

It does not include any significant UK primary agricultural production. We therefore expect no significant impact on the prices that farmers are paid as a result of these tariff suspensions.

The government has launched a four-week engagement process with UK food producers and other interested parties to ensure we’ve considered their views.

The government welcomes views from interested parties through the online consultation available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/call-for-input-on-goods-for-cost-of-living-tariff-suspensions/call-for-input-on-goods-for-cost-of-living-tariff-suspensions