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

To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to establishing, after Brexit, (1) a framework for the food industry to minimise fragmentation across the UK, and (2) a single body responsible for regulation of that industry.

As we leave the EU our guiding principle will be to make sure that no new barriers to living and doing business in the UK are created. That means maintaining the necessary common standards and frameworks for our own domestic market, empowering the UK as an open, trading nation to strike the best trade deals around the world, and protecting the common resources.

The Government is working closely with devolved administrations on a wide range of issues, including those relating to the food industry, to deliver an approach that works for the whole of the UK and reflects the needs and individual circumstances of Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England. This includes mechanisms to achieve this, including frameworks, and how they may be managed or regulated.

Defra is working closely with the Food Standards Agency and Department of Health and Social Care to ensure that the regulatory regime for food safety remains robust as the UK leaves the EU, in order to protect public health and retain the confidence of consumers and international trading partners. It will be our priority to maintain the UK’s high standards of food and feed safety, and to ensure we take a risk based, proportionate approach when providing risk assessments. UK risk management decisions will continue to be based on robust scientific evidence.