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

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to publish a food policy.

The entire food chain from farm to fork is worth £112 billion to the economy, employs one in eight workers across the UK and underpins over £200 billion of consumer spend. It is a sector that is vital for our economy and the wellbeing of our citizens.

The development of food policy is focused on enhancing our resilient and productive food system so it continues to deliver high quality, affordable and nutritious products to consumers. There are currently two main elements.

Firstly, as we prepare to leave the EU, we are working with our food and farming industry as well as environmentalists to change the way we invest in our countryside and better support our farmers to protect wildlife, enhance the environment and improve land use. Alongside this, our vision is for a more dynamic, self-reliant industry that can compete internationally by producing high quality food – one that commands premium prices on the domestic market and increases exports.

Secondly, the Industrial Strategy will play an important role in bringing benefits to the food chain’s businesses, workers and consumers. The newly established Food and Drink Sector Council represents the entire farm to fork food chain, covering farming, manufacturing, retail, hospitality and logistics. This joint Government and industry group will seek to improve the productivity and sustainability of the industry. The Council’s first set of priorities covers workforce and skills, agricultural productivity, nutrition, packaging and waste, exports, innovation and logistics.