Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Invasion of Ukraine: UK Food Security

Thursday 28 April 2022 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Russia's invasion of Ukraine is impacting global food security by disrupting supply lines and increasing input costs for agricultural commodities like wheat and sunflower oil.
  • The UK imports limited quantities of wheat from sources other than Ukraine and is working to help the food industry find alternatives to sunflower oil.
  • The UK government is committed to assessing food security every three years as mandated by the Agriculture Act 2020, acknowledging the link between energy prices and food costs.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Richard Thomson
Ukraine Brexit Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Context

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has led to significant global impacts on agricultural commodities such as wheat and sunflower oil, affecting food prices and supply chains worldwide.

Question

What recent assessment has the Department made about how Russia's invasion of Ukraine is impacting food security in the UK? The conflict highlights the fragility of many supply lines and increases input costs while disrupting sectors.

Answer from George Eustice

Ukraine is a significant global producer of agricultural commodities such as wheat and sunflower oil. The UK imports limited quantities of wheat from Canada and other sources but has taken steps to assist the food industry in using alternatives to sunflower oil, working with international partners to ensure trade flows.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask regarding a more flexible immigration strategy and unity on sanitary and phytosanitary approaches was not addressed.

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Q2 Richard Thomson
Energy Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Context

Following the assessment of food security impacts from the Russian invasion, Richard Thomson inquires about steps to mitigate negative effects and improve resilience.

Question

In order to minimise these effects, will the Secretary of State look again at having a more flexible immigration strategy for the agricultural sector and uniting on sanitary and phytosanitary approaches with the EU? Additionally, what measures are being taken to elevate food security's status similar to energy security?

Answer from George Eustice

We recognise the importance of food security, as mandated by the Agriculture Act 2020 to assess it every three years. Food prices are closely linked to energy prices; thus, a gas price spike affects food costs. The UK is still self-sufficient for about 75% of consumed foods.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask on immigration strategy and EU collaboration was not addressed directly.

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