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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take steps to designate food security a critical national priority.

Food security is national security. We need a resilient and healthy food system, that works with nature and supports British farmers, fishers and food producers. Our Plan for Change sets out how we are focused on supporting our farmers, supporting rural economic growth and boosting Britain’s food security.

Food supply is one of the UK's 14 Critical National Infrastructure sectors. Defra and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) are joint Lead Government Departments (LGDs), with Defra leading on supply and the FSA on food safety. We work closely with the Cabinet Office and other LGDs to ensure food supply is fully incorporated as part of emergency preparedness, including consideration of dependencies on other sectors.