Asked by: Ben Coleman (Labour - Chelsea and Fulham)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which Departments are working on the development of a food strategy; which Department is leading this work; what the strategy's aims are; and what his planned timetable is for the completion of the strategy.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Addressing the issues the food sector faces requires a whole-of-government effort, so while Defra is leading the strategy we will be working in very close collaboration with several government departments. Our ambitious food strategy will set and deliver clear long-term outcomes that create a healthier, fairer, and more resilient food system. We will provide details of how the process will operate, how industry can engage, and what the milestones will be in the coming months.
Asked by: Ben Coleman (Labour - Chelsea and Fulham)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of changes to the maximum residue level of 49 pesticide residues between 2022 and 2024 on levels of pesticide residues on food; and what steps his Department is taking to protect the (a) food supply and (b) environment from harmful pesticides.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government’s first priority with regard to pesticides is to ensure that they will not harm people or pose unacceptable risks to the environment. We will continue to base decisions on the use of pesticides on careful scientific assessment of the risks. This provides a high level of protection for people and the environment.
The GB pesticide Maximum Residue Level (MRL) regime sets high standards of consumer protection to ensure no harmful effects on human health. GB MRLs are set below, and usually well below, the level considered to be safe for people to eat.
The MRLs apply to both food produced domestically and that imported from other countries. Our ongoing monitoring programme provides assurance that food complies with the rules and is safe to eat. It is led by the Health and Safety Executive with advice from the Expert Committee on Pesticide Residues in Food.