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

To ask His Majesty's Government what contingency planning they are undertaking to mitigate the impacts of shortages of essential supplies, including fertiliser, as a result of the simultaneous impacts of the conflict in the Gulf and a super El Niño event in 2026.

The UK has a resilient food supply chain. Defra is committed to monitoring risks posed by the Middle East conflict to our critical supply chains and is working closely with industry and farmers to understand potential pressures and options to mitigate any risks.

El Niño is just one of a number of climatic drivers that can influence global weather patterns. This Government continues to take action to strengthen the UK’s resilience against severe weather events. The national risk register details the wide-ranging impacts of severe weather to ensure that comprehensive contingency plans are in place.