Tag: food security

Bishop of Newcastle asks about food security in the event of flooding or extreme weather

The Bishop of Newcastle asked a question on government plans to ensure food security in the event of extreme weather events and flooding affecting supply lines on 16th April 2024, during a discussion on compensation for farmers affected by flooding:

The Lord Bishop of Newcastle: Climate change and global events have exposed the vulnerability of relying on imported foods. Given the extreme weather events and flooding, the likelihood that this will continue and the impact on farming, what plans do the Government have in place to ensure food security?

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Bishop of St Albans asks about plans to manage grocery inflation levels

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 23rd January 2024:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government what plans they have to manage grocery inflation in light of disruption to the Red Sea and the potential delay in shipping times.

Lord Douglas-Miller (Con): The UK has a highly resilient food supply chain, which is well equipped to deal with situations with the potential to cause disruption.

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Bishop of St Albans asks about contingency plans for grain shipments from Ukraine

On 28th November 2023, the Bishop of St Albans asked a question on contingency plans for grain shipping following an update on the conflict in Ukraine:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, I was interested to hear the reference to the insurance for shipping. We are all aware, I think, of the vital importance of getting the grain out of Ukraine, both to support the Ukrainian economy and because it is making such a difference in feeding many parts of the world. Can the Minister tell us whether other contingency plans are being made in case shipping lanes get blocked again, and not least whether there other ways of getting grain out of Ukraine while we have the time to make those preparations?

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Bishop of Exeter asks about international efforts to combat food insecurity in conflict areas

The Bishop of Exeter asked a question on government efforts to work internationally to combat food insecurity in areas of conflict on 7th September 2023:

The Lord Bishop of Exeter: My Lords, as the president of the International Rescue Committee rightly noted, conflict is one of the primary drivers of food insecurity around the globe, so what steps are His Majesty’s Government taking, in co-operation with our partners, to convene dialogue and work with local peacebuilders and faith leaders to help in areas of conflict?

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Con, Foreign Office): We are working in many areas, including an area in which I lead on the initiative of preventing sexual violence in conflict. 

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Bishop of Exeter asks about land use by solar farms

The Bishop of Exeter received the following written answer on 6th June 2023:

The Lord Bishop of Exeter asked His Majesty’s Government:

  • how many acres of agricultural land which were previously being farmed were given over to solar farms in (1) 2018, (2) 2019, (3) 2020, (4) 2021, and (5) 2022.
  • what assessment they have made of the impact on UK food security of giving over farm land to solar farms.

Lord Benyon (Con): Defra has previously published statistics for the amounts of land changing use during individual years from 2013 to 14 through to 2017 to 2018. The Department intends to provisionally publish similar figures for the three year period 2019 to 2022 using a revised methodology during June or July 2023, however, the figures are not detailed enough to provide the information requested.

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Bishop of Exeter asks about support for the horticultural industry

The Bishop of Exeter received the following written answer on 13th March 2023:

The Lord Bishop of Exeter asked His Majesty’s Government what support they are providing to the horticultural industry to support the growth of fruit and vegetables.

Lord Benyon (Con): An innovative, productive, and competitive agricultural sector is one of HM Government’s key priorities.

Horticultural production was worth £4.8 billion in 2021 and is a vital sector, not only in ensuring the resilience of our food supply chains, but also as a major driver of local economic growth and employment.

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Bishop of St Albans asks about support for domestic businesses amid the rising cost of living

The Bishop of St Albans asked about support for domestic businesses such as market gardens, during a debate on rising food prices on 27th February 2023:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, security is one of the most fundamental responsibilities of any Government, yet with huge hikes in the cost of food from overseas, our domestic market is declining. Take, for example, the outstanding market garden sector in the Lea Valley in my diocese. About 10% of them had to close in the last year because of the cost of heating. What are the Government going to do to ensure that those market gardens are able to sustain themselves, to guarantee our basic food security in this country?

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Bishop of St Albans asks about lunch costs for pupils ineligible for free schools meals

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 23rd January 2023:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of reports of an increase in the number of pupils who are ineligible for free school meals being unable to afford lunch.

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Bishop of St Albans asks about screenings for malnutrition

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 9th January 2023:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government why screening of malnutrition is not standard practice in all health settings across England.

Lord Markham (Con): The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommends that all hospital inpatients on admission and all outpatients at their first clinic appointment should be screened for malnutrition. Screening should be repeated weekly for inpatients and when there is clinical concern for outpatients. Residents in care homes should be screened on admission and when there is clinical concern.

Hansard

Bishop of Exeter asks about increasing food costs in supermarkets

The Bishop of Exeter received the following written answer on 14th November 2022:

The Lord Bishop of Exeter asked His Majesty’s Government how they are working with supermarkets to ensure that affordable staple foods are available on the shelves this winter given the increasing food cost for (1) consumers, and (2) retailers.

Lord Benyon (Con): Defra has well established ways of working with industry. This includes extensive, regular and ongoing engagement with supermarkets and producers in order to tackle the cost-of-living challenge. Through this engagement, Defra will continue to explore the range of measures food retailers can take to ensure the availability of affordable food. For example, by maintaining value ranges, price matching and price freezing measures.

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