The UK\u2019s high degree of food security is built on access to a range of sources including strong domestic production and imports from other countries. This will continue to be the case whether we leave the EU with or without a deal.<\/p>
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Half of the food we eat is produced in the UK. The rest of our food is imported, with 30% coming from the EU and 20% from other countries. There will not be an overall shortage of food in the UK as a result of a no deal Brexit. However, there may be fluctuations in the availability and choice of certain seasonal products, such as fresh fruit. The UK has a high degree of self-sufficiency in some vegetables year-round including root vegetables, cabbage and potatoes, as well as certain fruits during the summer harvest season including strawberries and apples.<\/p>
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Over the last three years Government has been working to prioritise the smooth flow of trade, particularly at channel ports, to minimise any disruption if the UK leaves the EU without a deal. This includes cross Government work to ensure traders and hauliers in the UK and the EU are prepared for changes to exporting and importing requirements; ensuring our approach to imports achieves a smooth flow of goods at UK ports; working with stakeholders, major ports and airports to ensure that they are making their own preparations for leaving the EU; and developing traffic management plans to manage any potential delays at the ports, for example Operation Brock in Kent.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3934", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for George Eustice"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Camborne and Redruth"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "George Eustice"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-08-14", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-08-14T07:50:21.777Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Food: Imports"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the UK leaving the EU without a deal on 31 October 2019, on the supply of fresh produce.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1491", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Kerry McCarthy"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bristol East"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Kerry McCarthy"} ], "uin" : "280215"} ], "itemsPerPage" : 10, "page" : 0, "startIndex" : 1, "totalResults" : 1, "type" : ["http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#ListEndpoint", "http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#Page"]} }