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

To ask His Majesty's Government, following their introduction of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill 2022, what assessment they have made of the UK’s food and environmental standards.

Defra is in the process of analysing and assessing its REUL stock, including in relation to food standards and environmental protections, to determine what should be preserved as part of domestic law, and what should be repealed, or amended. This work will determine how we use the powers in the Bill and therefore inform assessments of the Bill’s impact.

The United Kingdom is a world leader in environmental protection and in reviewing our retained EU law, we want to ensure that environmental law is fit for purpose for the UK’s unique environment and able to drive improved environmental outcomes, whilst ensuring regulators can deliver efficiently. Maintaining the UK’s high food standards remains our priority. HM Government remains committed to promoting robust food standards nationally and internationally, to protect consumer interests, facilitate international trade, and ensure that consumers can have confidence in the food that they buy.