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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on ensuring a resilient CO2 supply.

A cross-Government ministerial group has been set up to monitor supply chains, identify critical sectors and consider necessary Government action. As part of this work and over the longer term, the Government is examining the options for the market to improve resilience in the provision of essential supplies such as CO2.

In the short term, the CO2 industry has come to an agreement to ensure UK businesses have access to a sustainable supply of CO2. This deal runs until the end of January. The parties to the agreement must now work together to negotiate a further market solution. This will ensure supplies to UK businesses.

Our overriding priority is to protect consumers and deliver value for money for the taxpayer. The agreement between the CO2 industry and CF Fertilisers confirms that the company’s plant in Teesside will continue to operate. The full press notice on this agreement can be seen here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/agreement-reached-to-ensure-supplies-of-co2-to-businesses. In September 2021, the Government provided limited financial support for CF Fertilisers’ operating costs for three weeks.