To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (i) for his assessment of the potential for food shortages in the coming months; and (ii) to detail any contingency plans he has developed to overcome any potential shortages.

I recognise the enormous pressure that the agri-food industry is experiencing with regards to supply chain issues. The implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol has had a substantial administrative impact on Northern Ireland agri-food businesses.

I recently met with the major Food retailers and they expressed concern over the level of checks and documentation required for food movements from GB to NI since 1st January 2021. This additional bureaucracy has resulted in increased costs, delays and uncertainty of trade and food supply and has also led to some suppliers no longer trading with NI businesses.

Whilst I am assured that there is currently no immediate risk to food supplies in NI, I remain very concerned with the levels of the current food checking arrangements and the significant burdens they are placing on both retailers and consumers. I have been consistent in stating that I firmly believe they are unsustainable in the long term and the processes need removed.

My Department has developed a number of measures to continuously assess the health of Northern Ireland’s food supply system. These include a Cross Departmental Food Supply Forum, A Public Sector Food Working Group, a Northern Ireland Food Supply Contingency Plan and a Food Observatory Report. This provides strategic and consistent direction across the Northern Ireland Executive on the current and foreseeable pressures, on the entire food supply chain into and throughout Northern Ireland.

My officials continue to track the health of the food supply chain through the Food Observatory Report and the supporting Food Supply Impact Assessment.

Contingency planning across the supply chain is one of the strategic priorities that I included in my Department’s recent consultation proposals for a Northern Ireland Food Strategy Framework. This proposed priority would build on the food supply security work, led by my Department during the Covid-19 pandemic, which involved a coordinated cross-sectoral approach to address existing or emerging risks along the entire food chain.

This work will encourage and support measures to maintain the food supply chains flexibility and resilience.