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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to encourage supermarkets to better support the UK dairy industry.

I understand the concerns over the current pressures on milk prices which is why I brought forward and chaired a meeting of the Dairy Supply Chain Forum last week.

Members, which include retailer representatives, discussed the recommendations made in the recent independent review of the dairy industry voluntary Code of Practice, one of which was to explore the possibility of expanding adoption of the Code within the supply chain to include retailers. Ideas are being actively explored by Members and I have asked for an update on progress in the New Year.