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

To ask Her Majesty's Government what cross-departmental actions are being taken to develop an integrated food policy addressing nutrition, food inequalities and good farming practice.

Government is committed to publishing a new National Food Strategy after the UK has left the EU. We are currently in the scoping phase and the Terms of Reference will be published shortly following the cross-Government agreement process.

Defra’s Secretary of State has invited Henry Dimbleby, as Defra’s lead Non-Executive Director, to lead an independent review to inform this strategy. Subsequently the Government will develop a National Food Strategy white paper informed by this independent review, among other things. This is planned for six months after the publication of the review.

Defra has engaged with other Government departments that have an interest in the Food Strategy. As many potential issues for inclusion fall outside Defra’s direct remit, effective and sustained cross Government working will be critical to the Strategy’s success.