§ Andrew GeorgeTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what steps her Department is taking to assess the role of British 307W agriculture in providing national food security; and if she will adopt the concept as a central principle of her Department's work; [128050]
(2) what steps her Department is taking to examine the risks inherent in a reduction in British agriculture's capacity to produce food and non-food products. [128051]
§ Mr. BradshawDefra has a role to play with others in providing all citizens with access to healthy food and in ensuring the continuity of essential supplies of food. The Government believes that national and international food security is best facilitated through improved trading relationships based on more open international markets and reductions in trade distorting subsidies. Our domestic agriculture industry has an important contribution to make by improving its ability to produce efficiently and sustainably what the market requires. The Strategy for Sustainable Farming and Food sets out how Government and industry is working in partnership to deliver this objective.
§ Andrew GeorgeTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what(a) policy and (b) financial assessment she has made of food security in the UK; and if she will make a statement.[128046]
§ Mr. BradshawFood security in the UK, including the threat to the food chain, is monitored very closely by the Government and we and the industry remain vigilant. Advice on any terrorist threat to the UK is the responsibility of the Security Service. The Director General of the Security Service is responsible to my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary for this advice, which is provided on a continual basis. Strategic assessments about terrorist threats to the UK are provided to the Government by the Joint Intelligence Committee.