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 leaving the European (a) Union, (b) Customs Union and (c) Single Market on food prices.

This Government cares deeply about the cost of living and food security; therefore, it closely monitors factors impacting food prices. Defra modelling shows that consumer food prices are driven by farmgate prices, import prices, exchange rates, labour costs in food manufacturing and non-labour costs in food manufacturing.

We are working to reset our relationship with our European friends to strengthen ties and tackle barriers to boost UK-EU trade. We will seek to negotiate a veterinary/SPS agreement to boost trade and deliver benefits to businesses and consumers in the UK and the EU. We have been clear that we are ambitious to improve our trading relationship but we are not rejoining the single market or customs union, and we will not return to freedom of movement.