Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that the UK has a patient-focused allergy strategy that focuses on prevention and rapid treatment for those who suffer allergies.

Whilst there are currently no plans to develop an allergy strategy, the Government recognises the challenges faced by people with allergies and is taking several actions to support them.

This includes The Food Information (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2019 which will come into effect on 1 October 2021, requiring food retailers and operators to display full ingredient and allergen labelling information on every pre-packed food item they sell. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency also continues to issue and update guidance for prescribing and use of adrenaline auto-injectors (AAIs), including a communications campaign to improve the safe and effective use of self-administered AAIs.

The Department continues to invest in research into food allergy, with £2.3 million awarded to the National Institute for Health Research over the last five years.