Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of conflict involving Iran on UK farming and food security; and what steps she is taking to mitigate any such impact.
The UK has a resilient food supply chain. The Government is acting now to limit the impact of any disruption. This includes including cutting the duty on red diesel by a third, bringing it to its lowest rate in over 20 years, as well as extending the 5p freeze in fuel duty for the rest of the year. In addition, Government have reopened the Ensus CO2 production plant to secure CO2 supplies, and it is providing farmers with tools to boost the efficiency of their fertiliser use. Working people are also set to benefit from the Government’s cost of living support.