Written questions by Kyrke-Smith.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to (a) improve self sufficiency in food production and (b) create a framework that (i) makes resilience progress visible, (ii) builds trust and (iii) supports strategic preparedness.

UK self-sufficiency has remained broadly stable for several decades. In 2024, the UK was 65% self-sufficient for all food; 77% for food that can be produced here. In most scenarios, strong domestic production as well as imports through stable trade routes ensures a supply of food is maintained and can withstand disruptive events such as extreme weather. The picture is nuanced, and moving to a higher level of self-sufficiency does not automatically make us more food secure. Defra works with industry and across Government to monitor risks that may arise. This includes extensive, regular and ongoing engagement in preparedness for, and response to, issues with the potential to cause disruption. Defra published the second edition of the UK Food Security Report (UKFSR) in December 2024. The UKFSR sets out an analysis of statistics relating to food security, serving as an evidence base to inform government policy and public understanding.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to help ensure that food labelling accurately reflects animal welfare practices.

The UK maintains high standards on the information that is provided on food labels so that consumers can have confidence in the food that they buy. All food sold on the UK market must comply with food labelling rules, which include the requirement for specific information to be presented in a specific way. An underpinning rule of existing legislation is that food information, whether it be mandatory or is provided voluntarily, must not mislead. The Government is considering the potential role of method of production labelling reform as part of the ongoing development of our wider animal welfare strategy, which we will publish later this year.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to reduce the impact of noise from fireworks on (a) dogs and (b) other animals; and whether she plans to make an assessment of the potential impact of reducing the maximum noise level for consumer fireworks from 120 to 90 decibels on (i) dogs and (ii) other animals.

The Government is continuing to engage with animal welfare stakeholders, businesses, consumer groups and charities on the impacts of fireworks, to inform any future action.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that closer alignment with the European Union on a Sanitary and Phyto-Sanitary Agreement does not adversely impact (a) animal welfare laws and (b) the ban on live exports.

This Government shares the British public's high regard for animal welfare and understands the strong sentiment that led to legislation to ban live exports going to slaughter. The UK-EU Common Understanding states that there will be a number of areas where we retain our own rules. The details of these are now subject to negotiation, but we have been clear about the importance of being able to set high animal welfare standards.

Food and Rural Affairs, what legislative steps she is taking to tackle illegal deforestation in supply chains; and what her planned timetable is for introducing a regulatory framework to tackle this issue.

The Government recognises the urgency of taking action to ensure that UK consumption of forest risk commodities is not driving deforestation. The Government is currently considering its approach to addressing the impact of the use of forest risk commodities in our supply chains and will set out its approach in due course. We are committed to ensuring that any regulatory framework is robust, proportionate and effective in addressing deforestation.

Food and Rural Affairs, what her Department's planned timetable is for publishing its Animal Welfare Strategy; and if she will make it her policy to ensure that the Animal Welfare Strategy includes steps to end the use of cages for farmed animals.

We remain firmly committed to maintaining and improving animal welfare and want to work closely with the farming sector to deliver high standards. The use of cages for farmed animals is an issue which we are currently considering very carefully. This government was elected on a mandate to introduce the most ambitious plans to improve animal welfare in a generation. The Prime Minister announced that we will be publishing an animal welfare strategy later this year.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to prevent the overfishing of commercially important species.

The Government is committed to restoring our stocks to sustainable levels and supporting the long-term viability of the UK fishing industry. This is in line with our domestic and international obligations, including those of the Fisheries Act 2020 and Joint Fisheries Statement. We work with international partners to set annual catch limits for shared fish stocks, consistent with the best available scientific advice on the state of those stocks. This is principally advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea. We are also taking action to sustainably manage our marine resources through Marine Protected Area management and Fisheries Management Plans, which apply to all vessels in UK waters.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to support the (a) health and (b) welfare of (i) pets and (ii) wild animals during fireworks season in Aylesbury constituency.

Existing fireworks legislation controls the sale, availability, and use of fireworks. There is an 11pm curfew in place for the use of fireworks, with later exceptions only for the traditional firework periods. Using fireworks outside the curfew hours is a criminal offence. Users of fireworks should be aware of animals in the neighbouring area and use them responsibly. As a matter of best practice, those organising displays should give neighbouring owners advance notice and ensure that fireworks are not set off near livestock or horses in fields, or close to buildings that house livestock. Government officials have been working with Combat Stress, Help for Heroes and the Dogs Trust to share information about safe and considerate use of fireworks. The Government has recently launched an awareness campaign on the Gov.uk website to provide guidance on minimising the impacts of fireworks on people and animals.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to end the use of cages in farming.

We are firmly committed to maintaining and improving animal welfare and want to work closely with the farming sector to deliver high standards. The use of cages for farmed animals is an issue we will want to fully consider in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of commissioning a review of horse rider safety standards; and whether he plans to legislate to strengthen those standards for solo riders.

Anyone in the business of hiring out horses is required to have a licence under the Licensing of Activities Involving Animals (LAIA) Regulations 2018. It is a condition, under schedule 5 of the 2018 regulations, that all equipment provided to riders is in good and safe condition. Such activities are licenced by local authorities. The statutory guidance for hiring out horses provides more details on safety standards, for example the requirement for assessments to be carried out for new riders.