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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to increase food production and food self-sufficiency in the UK, after the UK leaves the EU.

The UK’s current production to supply ratio is 76% for indigenous-type foods and 60% for all foods. This has remained steady over the last decade and is not low in the context of the last 150 years. Self-sufficiency is not in itself an indicator of food security. The UK sources food from a diverse range of countries, in addition to a strong domestic production base. This will not change after leaving the EU.

The Government wants to see an efficient, productive and competitive domestic farming industry able to grow more, sell more and export more of our fantastic British food. As we leave the EU, we have the chance to design a new approach to agricultural policy which supports increased productivity on-farm through innovation, technology and skills.