Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to help supported (a) sustainability and (b) profitability for British egg farmers.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The UK egg industry operates in an open market and the value of egg commodities, including the farm gate egg price, is established by those in the supply chain
We recognise the challenges that the agricultural industry, including the egg sector, is currently facing due to the rise of input costs as a result of the war in Ukraine. The Government has put in place a number of measures to support supply chains. These include cuts to VAT and fuel duty and support through the Energy Bill Relief Scheme. Defra has also recently announced improvements to the Avian Influenza compensation scheme and granted a concession to the rules for the labelling of free-range eggs from hens that have been housed longer than the 16-week period for which an automatic derogation applies.
I hosted an egg industry roundtable on 6 December 2022. This involved representatives from across the UK egg supply chain. The roundtable focused on the various challenges that the sector is currently facing, including profitability and sustainability. The meeting was productive with a clear willingness from all parties to address issues affecting the supply chain.
Defra continues to work closely with the egg sector and to monitor the egg market through the UK Agriculture Market Monitoring Group (UKAMMG).
Asked by: Lord Naseby (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to make an "exceptional market conditions" direction under the Agriculture Act 2020, given the disruption being experienced by egg producers and consumers.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Defra has no plans to recommend that a declaration of exceptional market conditions be made for the egg sector under Section 20 of the Agriculture Act 2020. Other sectors have experienced similar problems and supply chains have themselves adjusted to address the challenges related to rising input costs, which the egg sector has started to do.
The UK egg industry operates in an open market and the value of egg commodities, including the farm gate egg price, is established by those in the supply chain including farmers, processors, wholesalers, retailers, and consumers. While government may act in exceptional circumstances, we do not set retail food prices nor comment on day-to-day commercial decisions by companies. In the event of exceptional circumstances, the Government has powers in the Agriculture Act 2020 to act to support farmers.
The Minister for Food, Farming and Fisheries hosted a roundtable on 6 December 2022 which brought together representatives from across the UK egg supply chain to discuss the challenges the egg industry is facing. The meeting was productive and conducted in a constructive manner with a clear willingness from all parties to address issues affecting the supply chain.
We are keeping the egg situation under close review, including through the UK Agriculture Market Monitoring Group, which was set up by Defra and the Devolved Administrations to monitor the UK market situation across all key agricultural commodities.
Asked by: Lord Naseby (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the assessment they have already made on the 16-week grace period for the marketing of free-range eggs in the event of mandatory housing measures imposed by the Chief Veterinary Office, whether they plan to amend existing legislation in this area.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
In recognition of the pressures the egg sector is currently facing, particularly rising input costs alongside the impacts of Avian Influenza, Defra has granted a concession which will apply if the housing orders that are currently in place in England exceed the 16-week derogation period. This concession will allow producers and packers, on a one-off basis, the option to use either direct print to pack or an affixed label on free-range boxes. Accompanying clear and transparent point of sale signage should also be in place to ensure consumers are not misled and to avoid undermining consumer confidence in the free-range industry.
We are aware that there are proposals in the EU to amend the derogation period. We are closely following the negotiations on this proposal. We are under no obligation to align with the EU and Defra currently has no plans to amend the 16-week derogation period. We are keen to ensure we retain consumer confidence in our free-range brand and the need therefore to act in the interests of both UK producers and consumers
Egg Marketing Standards are a devolved matter, and so, any review of or changes to the standards would be a matter for each of the administrations in Great Britain.
Asked by: Alberto Costa (Conservative - South Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what support the Government is providing to UK-based egg producers.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The UK egg industry operates in an open market and the value of egg commodities, including the farm gate egg price, is established by those in the supply chain including farmers, processors, wholesalers, retailers and consumers.
Recognising the challenges that the agricultural industry, including the egg sector, is currently facing due to the rise of input costs as a result of the war in Ukraine, the Government has put in place a number of measures to support supply chains. These include cuts to VAT and fuel duty and support through the Energy Bill Relief Scheme. Defra has also recently announced improvements to the Avian Influenza compensation scheme and granted a concession to the rules for the labelling of free range eggs from hens that have been housed longer than the 16-week period for which an automatic derogation applies.
I also hosted an egg industry roundtable on 6 December 2022. This involved representatives from across the UK egg supply chain. The roundtable focused on the various challenges that the sector is currently facing. The meeting was productive and conducted in a constructive manner with a clear willingness from all parties to address issues affecting the supply chain.
Defra continues to monitor the egg market and to work closely with the industry.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Whitchurch (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to protect UK egg producers from being undercut by imported eggs owing to higher feed and energy costs in the UK.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Defra is carefully monitoring levels of imports through the UK Agriculture Market Monitoring Group, which monitors UK agricultural markets including price, supply, inputs, trade, and recent developments. Domestic production of eggs provides around 85% to 90% of home use and last year accounted for 92% of eggs used domestically
Despite the recent tightening of the egg market which is mainly the result of the war in Ukraine and a global increase in input costs for feed and energy, the supply chain is robust and we believe there remains sufficient supplies of eggs to meet consumer demand. We are not currently seeing any dramatic increases in the import of eggs. Increases in the price of eggs can also be seen impacting countries across the European Union.
The UK egg industry operates in an open market and the value of egg commodities, including the farm gate egg price, is established by those in the supply chain including farmers, processors, wholesalers, retailers, and consumers. We are working closely with all stakeholders within the supply chain on how they might reduce short-term disruption to consumers. The Minister for Food and Farming recently hosted an egg industry roundtable with representatives from across the UK egg supply chain, to consider the challenges currently facing the industry.
Asked by: Harriett Baldwin (Conservative - West Worcestershire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she is taking steps to review rules on the labelling of free range (a) eggs and (b) poultry, in the context of outbreaks of avian influenza.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Egg Marketing Standards provides a 16-week derogation period during which the free-range description can be retained on eggs even if hens have been housed. Defra currently has no plans to review this derogation period
In recognition of the pressures the egg sector is currently facing, Defra has granted a concession which will apply if the housing orders that are currently in place in England exceed the 16-week derogation period. This concession will allow producers and packers, on a one-off basis, the option to use either direct print to pack or an affixed label on free-range boxes. Accompanying clear and transparent point of sale signage should also be in place to ensure consumers are not misled and to avoid undermining consumer confidence in the free-range industry.
Poultry Meat Marketing Regulations provide a 12-week derogation period during which the free-range description can be retained on meat from poultry that has been housed. As most free-range poultry is slaughtered at around 8 weeks, in practice the derogation period of 12 weeks is rarely exceeded. When this does happen then the free-range description cannot be used and the relevant production method must be indicated. There are no plans to review this derogation period
Egg and Poultry Meat Marketing are both devolved policy matters. Any review of, or changes to, these standards outside England is therefore the responsibility for each of the devolved administrations.
Asked by: Jim McMahon (Labour (Co-op) - Oldham West and Royton)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to help tackle the increase in the cost of eggs.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The UK egg industry operates in an open market and the value of egg commodities, including the farm gate egg price, is established by those in the supply chain including farmers, processors, wholesalers, retailers and consumers. While government may act in exceptional circumstances, we do not set retail food prices nor comment on day-to-day commercial decisions by companies.
I hosted an egg industry roundtable on 6 December 2022. This involved representatives from across the UK egg supply chain. The Roundtable focused on the various challenges that the sector is currently facing including the increase in input costs caused by the war in Ukraine and the impact of avian influenza. The meeting was productive and conducted in a spirit of co-operation with a clear willingness from all parties to address issues affecting the supply chain.
Defra continues to monitor the egg market and to work closely with the sector.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the availability of eggs in supermarkets.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Rt Hon. Lord Benyon on 12th December 2022 to Question 3655.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much of the £120 million committed in the Government Food Strategy for research funding for alternative proteins has been allocated to (a) plant-based, (b) fermentation-derived and (c) cultivated meat, dairy, eggs and seafood proteins.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government’s Food Strategy included a commitment to keep the UK at the front of the growing and innovative alternative protein sector by supporting alternative protein research and innovation, including as part of our partnership with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) to invest over £120 million in research across the food system. To date, public support in the form of R&D investment to the sector includes £12.5m part of the Defra-UKRI partnership Farming Innovation Programme (FIP), focussed on developing innovative solutions for sustainable farm-based protein production, although the FIP excludes post-farm gate protein technologies like cultured meat.
Innovate UK is currently funding three projects comprising £12.5M through the Transforming Food Production programme, focusing on alternative protein for aquaculture and animal feed applications and two projects with an overall value of £1.5M focused on lab-based meat cultivation. Additionally, UKRI’s Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and Innovate UK are jointly planning to invest at least £20 million in capacity building, research, innovation and business-led commercialisation to help develop alternative, more sustainable protein sources between 2022-2025. Precision fermentation and cultivated meat research proposals will be within the scope of funding as part of the BBSRC Strategic Plan 2022-2025.
Asked by: Baroness Kennedy of Cradley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure the availability of British eggs up to and including Christmas 2022.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are not expecting any significant impact to the overall supply of eggs, and the UK has a highly resilient food supply chain. However, farmers are facing extra pressures this year as a result of global rising input costs for feed and energy combined with the bird flu outbreak, which is why we continue to work closely with industry to monitor the market and help them with costs.
We have set out a package of measures to support the poultry sector during this time and we will continue to monitor the situation. We are working closely with all stakeholders on how they can maintain the supply of British eggs in supermarkets. The Minister for Food and Farming recently hosted an egg industry roundtable with representatives from across the UK egg supply chain, to consider the challenges currently facing the industry.