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

What assessment he has made of the level of self-sufficiency in food production in England and Wales; and whether he plans to increase that level.

The UK’s current production to supply ratio is 76% for indigenous-type foods and 60% for all foods. This is not low in the context of the past 150 years. The UK has historically been a net-importer of food sourced from a diverse range of stable countries and this will continue once we leave the EU. Looking ahead, we now have the opportunity to design an agricultural policy which increases productivity through innovation, technology and skills.