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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to avoid food shortages in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.

The UK Government has well established ways of working with the food industry. The food industry is experienced in dealing with scenarios that can affect food supply and Defra Ministers and officials meet regularly with the food industry to support contingency planning by the industry as we prepare to leave the EU.

Consumers have access to a wide range of food products when they shop and this will continue once we leave the EU. However, if key trade routes are temporarily disrupted, there would be reduced availability and choice of certain food products, including some of the fresh produce we import from the EU. If we have to leave with no deal, there will not be an overall shortage of food in the UK.