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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the letter sent to him by the Real Bread Campaign on 16 August 2022, if he will ensure that the issues highlighted by that letter are reflected in the public consultation which opened on 1 September 2022 as part of his Department's review of the The Bread and Flour Regulations 1998 and The Bread and Flour Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1998.

HM Government and the Devolved Administrations committed to carry out a review of Bread and Flour Regulations across the United Kingdom. A response from Defra's Food Minister, Victoria Prentis, was sent to the Real Bread Campaign on 6th September 2022. HM Government has set out its key proposals for change which are outlined in a public consultation published on 1st September 2022, and which is open for responses until 23rd November 2022. The proposals will address the most pressing aspects identified for change including the addition of mandatory folic acid to flour to prevent neural tube defects in foetuses, and improvements to the legislation which will help reduce burdens for businesses while still protecting the health of consumers. HM Government is committed to optimising the information that is available to consumers, and the Government Food Strategy sets out work that we will be taking forward on consumer information and transparency.