8 Deferred

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

Recommendation
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 just self-sufficiency: the UK is reliant on food imports, mostly from the EU. The Government should, in conjunction with the food supply chain and others such as academics, develop a suite of food security indicators covering both inputs and outputs and set targets for them, which should in turn influence food security policy. The Government should outline its approach to this in its Response, and should launch the suite of indicators within 12 months of this Report’s publication. (Paragraph 29) Domestic food security: key issues
Government Response Summary
The government plans to publish a Land Use Framework for England this year, which will provide a long-term perspective on land uses for various aims including food security, but does not commit to developing a specific suite of food security indicators or targets.
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government Deferred
The Government will publish a Land Use Framework for England this year. The Framework will provide a long-term perspective on the land uses required to deliver growth, Net Zero, climate change adaptation, nature recovery, food security, and economic infrastructure. We have also considered the recommendations from the House of Lords Land Use in England Committee’s inquiry while preparing the framework. We intend for the Land Use Framework for England to help inform how we maximise co- benefits and support the delivery of resilient, multifunctional landscapes, which will be dependent on the local context and national needs. As the Food Strategy notes, there is not a direct correlation between UK land area farmed and agricultural output. 57% of agricultural output in England comes from 33% of the farmed area. We are seeking to deliver as much as we can on our limited supply of land, to meet our ambitious targets and commitments to improve the environment, deliver Net Zero and support food security.
Timeline
Recommendation age 2.8 yrs
Report published 28 Jul 2023