Defra continues to work closely with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Environment Agency (EA), Welsh and Scottish Governments to identify our priorities under UK REACH. To do this, we consider information from a range of sources, including reviewing action initiated under the EU.

Once we have identified priority chemical risks for GB we consider the most appropriate approach for managing them. This could include action under REACH, or action through other means, such as through the occupational health and safety regulations or the Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP) regulations.

We recognise that when assessing the risk of hazardous chemicals, it is important to consider whether they might be substituted with others with similar hazards (known as regrettable substitution). We are aiming to tackle this issue by considering whole groups of chemicals, such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), during our analysis of the various risk management options available under UK REACH, and at the same time considering the availability and suitability of alternatives.

The UK has a highly resilient food supply chain – which has coped well in responding to unprecedented challenges. The world’s leading vegetable oil is palm oil, however, several other oils are often used by the food manufacturing industry. Many UK manufacturers use sunflower, rapeseed and olive oil in their products. It is important to note that both supermarkets and food producers are private businesses that each have their own approaches and it is not the role of the Government to direct their operations.

We are working closely with the food and feed industry to understand the impacts of the situation in Ukraine on sunflower seed, oil or sunseed meal supplies, whilst the Food Standards Agency have informed consumers that rapeseed oil may start to replace sunflower oil in some products

We remain in regular contact with major grain traders, manufacturers and food retailers to understand the impacts of global events on supply chains, monitor availability of key ingredients and to ensure the highest possible standards for our food products.

At the moment domestic edible oil refiners are reporting that the UK has adequate stocks of many different oils and food industry figures remain confident in the supply chain to adjust to any changes in ingredients which may be necessary.

It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

I do not have time to go through the long list of the many measures we are taking to support families at this time. For example, we are providing £35 million to support schools in disadvantaged areas to provide breakfast, and Healthy Start food vouchers are increasing from £3.10 to £4.25. The reasons why people have to access food banks are many and varied. The issue requires a cross-government approach, looking at all sectors of expenditure; we are working across government to do that.

Agricultural commodities are closely correlated to global gas prices. Dairy farmers are facing increased input costs, including feed, fuel and fertiliser prices. We continue to monitor the situation, including through the UK Agricultural Market Monitoring Group. Defra is in regular contact with key industry figures including the National Farmers Union, the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board and key sector representatives.

The Government announced on the 30 March a number of actions to address current fertiliser issues. These included changes to statutory guidance to the Environment Agency on how they should implement the "Farming Rules for Water" to provide clarity to farmers on how they can use slurry and other manures during autumn and winter to meet agronomic needs; increased grants funding to help farmers and growers boost research and development; and a delay to changes to the use of urea by at least a year. When the urea restrictions are introduced, they will be related to the use of ammonia inhibitors rather than a complete ban.

We recognise that fertiliser pressures on the livestock and arable sectors may differ, particularly over the farming seasons. On the 31 March Minister Prentis hosted the first meeting of the Fertiliser Roundtable with key industry bodies to discuss potential mitigations to the challenges which global supply pressures are causing. Ministers will continue to meet with key industry bodies for further fertiliser round-table sessions in the coming months, to help identify and mitigate potential risks.

Defra is working closely with its industry-led groups and key stakeholders to monitor the position on animal feed. This includes both availability and price of animal feed ingredients for all species, including the dairy sector.

The world’s leading vegetable oil is palm oil. However, several other oils are often used by the food manufacturing industry. Many UK manufacturers use sunflower, rapeseed and olive oil in their products.

Ukraine is a major producer of sunflower and oil seed rape, supply of which is threatened by the current situation in that region. However, the UK has a highly resilient food supply chain – which has coped well in responding to unprecedented challenges.

We remain in regular contact with major grain traders, manufacturers and food retailers to understand the impacts of global events on supply chains and to ensure the highest possible standards for our food products.

At the moment supermarkets are reporting product availability for many different oils and food industry figures remain confident in the supply chain to adjust to any changes in ingredients which may be necessary.

We have pledged to bring forward legislation to ban imports of hunting trophies from thousands of species. This ban will be among the strongest in the world, leading the way in protecting endangered animals. We intend to bring this forward as soon as parliamentary time allows.

The Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy identified tackling climate change and biodiversity loss as the UK’s international priority through COP26 and beyond. The UK is committed to playing a leading role at CBD COP15 this year to secure agreement to ambitious global action over the next decade. As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, we expect the COP itself to take place in the third quarter of 2022. I will head the UK delegation, and attendance by other UK Government Ministers and attendance by officials will be confirmed when revised dates for COP15 are available.

The UK is committed to playing a leading role in developing an ambitious post-2020 global biodiversity framework to be adopted at COP15 of the Convention on Biological Diversity later this year. Defra continues to work closely with a wide range of NGOs, businesses and civil society organisations to deliver its objectives. Defra is also seeking input from its specialist arms-length bodies and other Government departments in developing its approach.

Biodiversity loss is a global problem that needs a global solution, and the UK is committed to playing a leading role in developing an ambitious post-2020 global biodiversity framework to be adopted at COP15 of the Convention on Biological Diversity later this year. As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, we expect the COP itself to take place in the third quarter of 2022.

The UK will be advocating for ambitious global targets to bend the curve of biodiversity loss by 2030. This includes targets to ensure at least 30% of the land and of the ocean is protected, ecosystems are restored, species population sizes are recovering, and extinctions are halted by 2050. The UK is calling for this ambitious set of targets to be supported by increased finance for nature from all sources (public and private) and at all levels (domestic and international), and for strengthened reporting and review mechanisms to facilitate the achievement of targets and hold Parties to account to their commitments.

Nine high-profile shooting organisations released a joint statement in 2020 calling for an end to lead in ammunition used for taking live quarry with shotguns within five years. We welcomed this move away from lead and are committed to ensuring a sustainable, mutually beneficial relationship between shooting and conservation. By 2020, the use of lead ammunition in England had already been restricted in specific circumstances by existing legislation– including being prohibited in or over sites of special scientific interest including wetlands.

In spring 2021, Defra asked the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) and the Environment Agency (EA) to prepare a UK REACH restriction dossier for lead ammunition. The HSE and the EA are considering the evidence of risk posed by lead in ammunition on human health and the environment and, therefore, the case for introducing a UK REACH restriction on lead in ammunition. This process will take approximately two years (from spring 2021), after which the Secretary of State, with the consent of the Scottish and Welsh Ministers, will make a decision on the basis of this review. Further information can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/plans-announced-to-phase-out-lead-ammunition-in-bid-to-protect-wildlife