Written questions by Harris.

Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care regarding the potential merits of incorporating (a) evidence on the maternal and neonatal risks from extreme heat and (b) measures to protect pregnant people and infants during heatwaves into the UK’s National Adaptation Programme.

Defra is working across Government to reset the climate adaptation framework and safeguard people, livelihoods, and our natural environment. Defra is setting stronger objectives and improving governance and monitoring, to help Government turn evidence into action. The Department of Health and Social Care and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) recognises that there are risks to pregnant women caused by exposure to extreme high temperatures which are set out in the Adverse Weather and Health Plan Equity Review and Impact Assessment 2024. This includes an assessment on stillbirth, pre-term birth and maternal health complications. UKHSA provides a weather-health alerting system for England, which alerts the public (including specific vulnerable groups such as pregnant women) and public sector organisations to prepare for impacts of adverse weather, including high temperatures. Risks to health are communicated via heat-health alerts.

Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the potential impact of granting the Welsh Government’s proposed UK Internal Market Act exemption to run its own Deposit Return Scheme on food and drink businesses.

The Government is following the process to assess the Welsh Government’s proposal for an exclusion from the UK Internal Market Act as set out in the UK Internal Market Act Review published in July 2025. The Government has been engaging with stakeholders to gather evidence and feedback on the impact of the proposal on the UK internal market in order to inform its response to the Welsh Government’s proposal. The Government is working at pace to be able to communicate its position within the Resources & Waste Common Framework, in line with the processes set out in the 2025 Review.

Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate her Department has made of the value of gin produced in Wales to the economy.

The UK has a vibrant and successful Gin industry, with exports in excess of £530 million in 2024. The department has not made a formal estimate of the value of gin produced in Wales, but industry reports that the number of active gin distilleries in Wales has grown rapidly from 5 distilleries in 2017 to over 30 in 2024. Office for National Statistics data published in 2024 also shows that distilling supports over 250 jobs in Wales. Earlier this year we were pleased to grant protected status to Dovey Native Botanical Gin, produced in Machynlleth.

Food and Rural Affairs, when the Food and Drink Sector Council last met; and when they plan to meet next.

The Food and Drink Sector Council last met in October 2024. Since then we have set up the Food Strategy Advisory Board, Citizens Advisory Council, and continued our engagement with the F4 grouping of industry representative bodies as we develop the food strategy. We have engaged with over 400 individuals and organisations in the last four months culminating in the publication on 15 July 2025 in Towards a Good Food Cycle (link). We recognise the excellent work of the FDSC, and will make a further announcement on the future of our engagement in food strategy development in due course.