Government Minister quizzed on the UK’s food supply chain

• Watch Parliament TV: Fairness in the food supply chain
• Inquiry: Fairness in the food supply chain
• Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

The session will be an opportunity for the Committee to reflect on evidence received throughout the course of the inquiry, which has examined the market power of food producers, manufacturers, and supermarkets, and investigated whether structural relationships could be improved. 

At the Farm to Fork Summit earlier this week, the Prime Minister said that the UK needs to reduce its reliance on overseas fruit and vegetables and back British producers. This hearing will be a chance for MPs to question ministers about the resilience of the UK’s food supply chain and the Government’s support for producers against high input costs.  

Members are also likely to pose questions to ministers about other recent Government announcements, including the confirmation that the Seasonal Worker visa route would be extended for five years until 2029, and that a Supply Chain Adjudicator will be appointed. 

The Committee is also likely to ask about the quality and transparency of information provided to consumers about where their food comes from, asking about the practice of shrinkflation and the rise in supermarkets’ use of so called ‘fake farms’ to market their products.  

Witnesses

Tuesday 21 May in Committee room 6, Palace of Westminster 

At 2.30pm

• Rt Hon. Sir Mark Spencer MP, Minister for Food, Farming and Fisheries, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
• Sarah Evered, Deputy Director, Innovation, Productivity and Science, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
• Alex Williams, Deputy Director, Competition Policy, Department for Business and Trade

Further information

• About Parliament: Select committees
• Visiting Parliament: Watch committees

Image: House of Commons