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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the National Food Strategy, published in July 2021, whether she is taking steps with Cabinet colleagues to implement (a) the first recommendation on introducing a sugar and salt reformulation tax and (b) other recommendations from that report.

The Government does not consider that now is the right time to introduce new taxes that will push up the cost of food.

The affordability of food, and individuals’ access to food, is a key element of the Government’s approach to tackling poverty as we manage the impact of cost-of-living pressures.

In 2022 the Government published its Food Strategy, which considered and responded to Henry Dimbleby’s independent review.