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

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of land use and food security, and what steps they are taking to ensure that farmland is reserved for the production of food.

The UK has a high degree of food security, built on supply from diverse sources, strong domestic production as well as imports through stable trade routes. We produce 60% of all the food we need, and 73% of food which we can grow or rear in the UK for all or part of the year. In 2023, 69.7% of the UK’s land was used for agricultural production. The UK Food Security Index, the first edition of which was published at the Farm to Fork Summit earlier this month, includes indicators on self-sufficiency and agricultural land use. The relationship between land use and food security is complex and will be explored in more detail in the UK Food Security Report, which will be published later this year. Our Land Use Framework, due to be published before summer recess, will set out how we can use land more effectively to deliver our environmental targets, net zero and food security objectives.