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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government plans to take to promote British food and drink exports.

The agri-food sector is worth over £100bn and employs one in eight people. The food and drink manufacturing sector – largest in the UK - exported nearly £19bn last year, including chocolates to Belgium, pork to China and chillies to India.

Supporting and encouraging businesses to take the opportunities that exporting presents is one of my Department’s top priorities. Officials are working with the industry and UKTI to develop a new Action Plan.