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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has considered the role of legislation such as a Good Food Bill in improving the resilience of the UK food system to climate change.

Defra is working across Government and the food system to drive the Good Food Cycle outcomes, and other Government priorities, over this Parliament. This includes taking action to support the resilience of the UK food system to climate change, by implementing the third National Adaptation Programme (NAP3) which sets out a range of measures to improve resilience and adaptation to climate change across the food supply and farming sector.

Transforming the food system is a long-term programme of work. The Government needs to use all available tools in a balanced, evidence-led way that avoids unintended consequences for industry and the consumer. Legislation will play a role in some areas, but the Government has not yet made a decision on the need for a dedicated Food Bill.