Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what consideration the Government has given to the potential merits of the inclusion of measures to combat food shortages within the scope of the Civil Contingencies Act 2004.

The Civil Contingencies Act 2004 provides a legislative framework for emergency preparedness across the UK. This includes supporting preparedness for situations which cause, or may cause, a disruption of a supply of food.

We are currently undertaking a Post-Implementation Review of the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, which is required to be presented to Parliament by March 2027. Through this review we will assess whether the Act is delivering its objectives and consider any changes to the legislation or accompanying guidance, which are required to strengthen the Act. A Call for Views was launched on 14 July 2026 to gather evidence from across the resilience community to inform the review's conclusions.

While the review does not explicitly consider the merits of including additional measures related to food shortages, we will consider, based on the evidence gathered, what changes could support increased preparedness for emergencies, including disruption to food supplies.