The UK has supported a number of global programmes relevant to the cocoa sector in Ghana, most notably 'Partnerships for Forests' (£120 million for 2015-24 across six countries including Ghana) and the 'Ghana Cocoa Forest REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation) Programme' (£141.5 million since 2019, of which £17 million was allocated to Ghana). In addition, a bilateral 'Ghana Agricultural Transformation Programme' (£900,000 over four years) also included investments supporting cocoa companies to trial schemes to improve cocoa farmers' livelihoods.

UK consumption of soy, palm oil, cocoa, coffee, rubber and cattle products was associated with 15,363 hectares of deforestation in 2021 of which 11,201 was tropical deforestation. These commodities are estimated to account for 55% of the UK’s tropical and non-tropical deforestation footprint.

This Government recognises the urgency of taking action to ensure that UK consumption of forest risk commodities is not driving deforestation. We will set out our approach to addressing UK consumption of forest risk commodities in due course.

The UK recognises the importance of promoting sustainable trade and development alongside action to prevent deforestation. We will continue working with producer countries to ensure that their views inform the Government’s delivery of the forthcoming Forest Risk Commodities scheme, including in respect of smallholder farmers of cocoa and other commodities.  The UK will also provide support to help countries to adapt to the new requirements, and benefit from the opportunities which this presents to increase trade in legally-produced commodities. This includes funding a new ten-year £500m phase of the UK’s Investments in Forests and Sustainable Land Use programme, which work with the private sector to mobilise investment into legal and sustainable commodity production; and provide support to smallholder farmers and poor rural communities who are most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. The UK is committed to scaling up this work in future.

The Government has no current plans to make an assessment of impacts of such decisions on small chocolate producers. We would, however, welcome any further information and evidence from small chocolate producers on this concern.

We consulted on the implementation of our due diligence regulations under the Environment Act and published a summary of responses and a government response to the consultation in June 2022.

The UK works with small farmers to improve livelihoods and prevent deforestation through Partnerships for Forests (P4F) (£120 million, 2015-23). The programme operates in Southeast Asia, East Africa, West Africa and Latin America. Across all of these regions, the programme supports partnerships between companies, farmers and communities, piloting new approaches to growing crops like palm oil, cocoa, coffee and soya, while improving livelihoods and protecting and restoring forests.

For example, in West Africa, UK funds support the implementation of agreements between the global cocoa industry and the Ghanaian and Ivoirian governments to eliminate deforestation and promote climate smart approaches to growing cocoa. Through this, farmers receive support to improve practices and eliminate deforestation from the cocoa supply chain. At COP26, the UK announced a £500 million, ten-year second phase of support to Partnerships for Forests, building on the experience of the first phase of the programme. Work is now underway to put this new funding commitment into place.

The UK works with cocoa farmers to improve livelihoods and prevent deforestation through Partnerships for Forests (P4F) (£120 million, 2015-23). P4F is a global programme which supports partnerships between companies, farmers and communities, piloting new approaches to growing crops like palm oil, cocoa and soya while improving livelihoods and protecting and restoring forests.

Cocoa sector support includes funding to the Cocoa and Forest Initiative. UK funds enable the implementation of agreements between the global cocoa industry and the Ghanaian and Ivoirian governments, helping farmers to improve practices and eliminate deforestation from the cocoa supply. P4F also funds landscape-scale partnerships between companies, communities and government agencies, which provide farmers with help to increase productivity and grow deforestation-free, climate smart cocoa. At COP26, the UK announced a £500 million, ten-year second phase of support to Partnerships for Forests, building on the experience of the first phase of the programme. Work is now underway to put this new funding commitment into place.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Working towards a living income in global value chains is one of the keys to driving poverty reduction and economic development. The Department for International Development (DFID) is a long-term supporter of the International Social and Environmental Accreditation and Labelling Alliance (ISEAL Alliance), the umbrella organisation for standards systems such as Fairtrade, and is one of the founding members of the Living Income Community of Practice. We support the development of standards that help smallholder farmers reach a decent standard of living. DFID also supports the Ethical Trading Initiative, a multi-stakeholder body working with UK food retailers, suppliers, trade unions and civil society to implement International Labour Organisation standards in global value chains, including cocoa.

The UK has a strong history of protecting human rights in business and promoting our values globally. We are committed to upholding the UK’s values, including around labour standards, and will consider the full range of mechanisms available in the design of future trade and investment agreements.

Creating productive jobs and improving working conditions is critical to poverty reduction. The Department for International Development (DFID) is a long-term supporter of the International Social and Environmental Accreditation and Labelling Alliance (ISEAL Alliance), the umbrella organisation for standards systems such as Fairtrade. DFID also supports the Ethical Trading Initiative, a multi-stakeholder body working with the UK food industry, their suppliers, trade unions and charities to implement International Labour Organisation standards in global value chains, including cocoa value chains. Our work on responsible investments focuses on a range of priorities, including improved conditions in the agriculture sector.

DFID is also at the forefront of the UK’s international efforts to implement the Prime Minister’s 2017 “Call to Action to end Forced Labour, Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking”. This is a crucial part of our efforts to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 8 on ending modern slavery. In 2017 the UK Government committed to doubling aid spending to tackle modern slavery to £150 million. We have exceeded this goal, with UK aid committed now exceeding £200 million.

Working towards a living income in global value chains is one of the keys to driving poverty reduction and economic development. The Department for International Development (DFID) is a long-term supporter of the International Social and Environmental Accreditation and Labelling Alliance (ISEAL Alliance), the umbrella organisation for standards systems such as Fairtrade, and is one of the founding members of the Living Income Community of Practice. We support the development of standards that help smallholder farmers reach a decent standard of living. DFID also supports the Ethical Trading Initiative, a multi-stakeholder body working with UK food retailers, suppliers, trade unions and civil society to implement International Labour Organisation standards in global value chains, including cocoa.

The UK has a strong history of protecting human rights in business and promoting our values globally. We are committed to upholding the UK’s values, including around labour standards, and will consider the full range of mechanisms available in the design of future trade and investment agreements.

The UK is firmly of the belief that trade has a key role to play in delivering the global goals and tackling poverty. That is why the Taxation (Cross-Border Trade) Act enables the UK to put in place a trade preferences scheme for developing countries, granting duty-free, quota-free access to 48 Least Developing Countries and granting tariff reductions to around 25 other developing countries. This is critical to achieving Global Goal 17. It also remains the UK’s priority to replicate the effects of the EU’s Economic Partnership Agreements with African, Caribbean and Pacific countries, which includes 24 Commonwealth countries, some of whom are key cocoa producers.

More than 20,000 people, including many of my constituents, have signed the Fairtrade Fortnight petition calling on the Government to lead action on exploitative rates of pay in the hugely valuable international cocoa trade. Will the Government take up that challenge?

I take the opportunity to praise the work of the Fairtrade organisation, which is so well led and co-ordinated by my very good friend Lord Price. It is essential that we look at these issues because free trade is not a free-for-all. There need to be rules around it and there needs to be fair trade. The Government will look sympathetically at what the hon. Gentleman suggests.

DFID has not made an estimate of the number of cocoa producers in West Africa and South and Latin America supplying the UK and the EU while earning less than the living income.

DFID is committed to driving inclusive and sustainable growth that lifts people out of poverty. More than 8 million people have benefited from DFID’s current agriculture programmes since 2010. In West Africa we are supporting the Cocoa and Forest Initiative to promote a sustainable cocoa sector which benefits smallholder farmers.

The UK remains committed to free and fair trade, and using trade to promote global development and poverty reduction. As the UK leaves the European Union, our first priority is to ensure continuity in our trading relationships, including cocoa producers. This includes discussions with the likes of Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire about replicating the effects of the EU’s Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) to continue to provide duty-free access to the UK for products including cocoa. The Government has also committed to continue to unilaterally provide preferential market access to around 70 other developing countries including some that produce cocoa. In the future, we will look to further deepen our trading relationships with these partners.