Food Security - Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee - UK Inquiry Tracker

Food Security

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee Closed Inquiry

Opened: 25 Jul 2022 Closed: 17 Nov 2023 Parliament page

This inquiry is looking at the pressures facing the UK food supply chain and its implication of UK food security and public access to access healthy and nutritious food. You can read the terms of reference for this inquiry here . Our call for evidence ended on 30 September 2022

15 Recommendations

8 Conclusions

1 Report

5 Oral sessions

1 Letter

5 Events

Activity timeline 8 events

17 Nov
2023

Report published

First Special Report - Food Security: Government Response to the Committee’s Seventh Report of 2022-23

28 Jul
2023

Report published

Seventh Report - Food security

22 Mar
2023

Correspondence

Letter from the Minister for Food, Farming and Fisheries to the Committee regarding Food Security, dated 15 March 2023

24 Jan
2023

Oral evidence

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

13 Dec
2022

Oral evidence

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

22 Nov
2022

Oral evidence

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

8 Nov
2022

Oral evidence

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

18 Oct
2022

Oral evidence

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

Oral evidence sessions 5 sessions

24 Jan 2023

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Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

David Kennedy · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Rt Hon Mark Spencer · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

13 Dec 2022

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Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

Dr Kelly Parsons · MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge Emily Hunter · The Woodland Trust Mark Tufnell · Country Land and Business Association (CLA) Professor Michael Winter, University of Exeter, Centre for Rural Policy Research Professor Tim Lang · City University London's Centre for Food Policy

22 Nov 2022

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Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

Anna Taylor · The Food Foundation Lindsay Boswell · FareShare Maria Marshall · Independent Food Aid Network (IFAN) Professor Michael Fakhri · University of Oregon School of Law

8 Nov 2022

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Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

Andrew Opie · British Retail Consortium (BRC) David Thomson · Food and Drink Federation (FDF) Ed Barker · Agricultural Industries Confederation (AIC) James Walton · IGD (Institute of Grocery Distribution) Minette Batters · National Farmers Union Will Jackson · Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB)

18 Oct 2022

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Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

Henry Dimbleby · Leon Restaurants

Reports 1 report · click to expand

Title	HC No.	Published	Items	Response
Seventh Report - Food security	HC 622	28 Jul 2023	23	Response document linked

Recommendations & Conclusions

23 results

1 Conclusion

Seventh Report - Food security

UK food supply resilient, but household access to healthy, affordable food remains a key concern.

The UK has demonstrated a resilient food supply during some of the most challenging events in recent times, in particular the covid-19 pandemic, the continuing Russia- Ukraine war and the UK’s departure from the EU. The role of the Government … Read more

Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

2 Conclusion

Seventh Report - Food security

UK Food Security Report is vital but outdated; Government refuses annual publication.

The UK Food Security Report (UKFSR) is a vital document to provide transparency about whether the UK will achieve each of the five elements of food security the Government is required to report on, and the associated risks to them. … Read more

Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

3 Conclusion

Seventh Report - Food security

Mandate the Prime Minister to chair an annual food security summit covering statutory aspects.

While we welcome the Prime Minister’s commitment to chair an annual food security summit, we are disappointed that this evolved into May’s “Farm to Fork Summit” in which, although successful, food security was not the focus. This was a missed … Read more

Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

4 Conclusion

Seventh Report - Food security

Publish a fully updated annual UK Food Security Report with action and progress plans.

A fully updated edition of the UK Food Security Report should be published on an annual basis, and a month in advance of the annual food summit. This should be accompanied by an action plan for at least the next … Read more

Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

5 Conclusion

Seventh Report - Food security

Government Food Strategy inadequate, failing to respond fully to National Food Strategy recommendations.

The final report of the National Food Strategy independent review (NFSIR) offered not only a detailed and considered analysis of the challenges facing our food system, including food security, but also put forward achievable actions. In contrast, the Government Food … Read more

Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

6 Recommendation

Seventh Report - Food security

Publish the detailed Whitehall response to each National Food Strategy independent review recommendation.

The Government should publish the detailed response to each of the NFSIR’s recommendations that it has drawn up within Whitehall as part of its response to this Report.

Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

7 Recommendation

Seventh Report - Food security

Undertake a comprehensive Cabinet Office review of departmental food policy responsibilities and structures.

There is an incoherent approach to food policy across Government. Defra is designated as the Government department responsible for food policy, but 15 other departments and agencies are involved in different elements of development and delivery. The successes of food … Read more

Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

8 Recommendation

Seventh Report - Food security

Develop a comprehensive suite of food security indicators with targets to influence policy.

The Government Food Strategy (GFS) made only one commitment to food security: to maintain “broadly the same level in future” the UK’s current rate of self- sufficiency of 75% of commodities we can produce. Food security, though, is more than … Read more

Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

9 Recommendation

Seventh Report - Food security

Prioritise long-term food security by ensuring sufficient labour for the food supply chain.

We welcome the report of the Independent Review into Labour Shortages in the Food Supply Chain (the Shropshire Review), and support its recommendations regarding both skilled and seasonal migrant labour. Troublingly, the Shropshire Review has found evidence that the UK’s … Read more

Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

10 Recommendation

Seventh Report - Food security

Ensure continued UK production of nitrogen fertiliser and ammonia with a six-month action plan.

Nitrogen fertiliser plays a critical role in UK food security, and the production of ammonia used in it creates large amounts of carbon dioxide gas as a by-product which is vital for the food supply chain. There is only one … Read more

Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

11 Conclusion

Seventh Report - Food security

Clarify Government priorities and private sector support within the forthcoming Land Use Framework.

We look forward to the publication of the Government’s Land Use Framework (LUF) for England, and welcome the report of the House of Lords’ Land Use Committee. The LUF should not be overly prescriptive, but it should make clear what … Read more

Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

12 Recommendation

Seventh Report - Food security

Change Government's position to include household affordability and access in food security.

The Food Minister said that household affordability of, and access to, food does not constitute food security. We disagree. The high and sustained rate of food price inflation means many households are having to take measures to save money like … Read more

Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

13 Conclusion

Seventh Report - Food security

Pantry model offers dignified food aid, providing choice and worthy of wider adoption.

We applaud the work being done by charities in Liverpool and around the country to support those in need of food aid. In particular, the pantry model of food aid provided a sense of dignity to users, as well as … Read more

Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

14 Recommendation

Seventh Report - Food security

Publish findings on sufficiency of household support to prevent regular food aid use

Higher food inflation and the rise in the cost of living more generally is meaning that food banks are experiencing record levels of demand this year. Earned income, not food banks, are ultimately the solution for household food insecurity. We … Read more

Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

15 Recommendation

Seventh Report - Food security

Urgently review and increase Free School Meals household income eligibility threshold

We welcome steps by the Government to expand free school meal (FSM) eligibility. More children are receiving FSM than ever before in England, including all infant school children. However, there is evidence that extending FSM eligibility further could reap substantial … Read more

Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

16 Recommendation

Seventh Report - Food security

Facilitate UN Special Rapporteur's visit to assess statutory right to food in England

We support the United Nations’ Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food’s request to undertake a Country Visit to the UK, and call for the Government to facilitate such a visit before the end of this year if Professor Fakhri … Read more

Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

17 Recommendation

Seventh Report - Food security

Respond to National Food Strategy Independent Review's analysis on health and food

The UK is in the midst of an obesity crisis and is facing a situation of around 40% of the adult population being obese by 2035. Unchecked, this will have profound consequences for the NHS. Food that is high in … Read more

Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

18 Recommendation

Seventh Report - Food security

Undertake and publish full impact assessment of a sugar and salt reformulation tax

The Government rejected the NFSIR’s proposals to break the junk food cycle, including the sugar and salt reformulation tax proposal. While such a tax may cause consumer prices to rise, it may lead consumers to substitute cheaper healthier Food Security … Read more

Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

19 Conclusion

Seventh Report - Food security

Require mandatory public health metrics reporting and urgent research on ultra-processed foods

The Government has set out three actions that could help encourage healthier eating. On mandatory public reporting against a set of health metrics, this should become a requirement within the next six months. Further research on ultra-processed foods as a … Read more

Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

20 Recommendation

Seventh Report - Food security

Set out detailed timetable for assessing impact of HFSS volume price promotion regulations

It is regrettable that the introduction of the ban on volume price promotions of food high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) has been further delayed to October 2025. The Government said that these delays were necessary to allow it … Read more

Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

21 Recommendation

Seventh Report - Food security

Broaden regulations to ban all HFSS food price promotions and meal deals

We are not convinced that the delay to banning certain volume price promotions for HFSS food will save consumers money, given the Government’s own analysis on this matter. Of less doubt is that it will make the fight against unhealthy … Read more

Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

22 Recommendation

Seventh Report - Food security

Call on supermarkets and shops to stop all HFSS food price promotions

We welcome the steps taken by Sainsbury’s and Tesco to voluntarily stop offering volume price promotions on HFSS food, and call on other supermarkets and smaller shops to swiftly follow their lead in the continue absence of legal restrictions to … Read more

Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

23 Recommendation

Seventh Report - Food security

Set out details and funding for five-year consumer education on healthy food choices

Better informing consumers about healthy, and unhealthy, food to help them to make the right choices is without doubt an important measure, and we welcome Government steps in this regard. Individuals should take responsibility for their food consumption and make … Read more

Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Correspondence 1 letter

22 Mar 2023 To committee Letter from the Minister for Food, Farming and Fisheries to the Committee regarding Food Security, dated 15 March 2023

Parliament page