Health Minister Steve Brine says Brexit will allow us to 'take back control' of our food labelling

Committee member Luciana Berger MP followed up with a question about conversations that the Public Health Minister and colleagues might have been having with colleagues at the Department for International Trade, asking: “As we know, they have a number of working groups looking at future trade deals with countries beyond the EU. We know that one country in particular deploys very aggressive methods to counter labelling, particularly America against countries in South America, that have adopted labelling measures. I wondered what conversations you’re having in that area?”

Minister for Public Health Steve Brine responded that he hadn’t had any conversations but would write to the committee with details of any official level conversations that had happened. Find the exchange here at 16.26.46.

Committee member Ben Bradshaw MP also pressed the ministers to comment on how US officials had already made it clear that we would need to lower our high food standards in exchange for trade. Public Health Minister Steve Brine maintained that the UK would not be lowering food standards for trade and pointed the committee to an article penned by his Secretary of State Jeremy Hunt in which he argues our food safety will not be compromised by Brexit.

Kath Dalmeny, chief executive of Sustain, said: “Number 10 are apparently close to announcing the next phase of their childhood obesity plan but a sugary, junk-filled trade deal with the US will drive a coach and horses through it all."

“Liam Fox has been flying around the world to have trade discussions, and we know that the Department for International Trade has set up a number of trade working groups with non EU countries. But the Department for International Trade has failed to answer MPs' questions about them and what they're discussing. Why the secrecy?"

“We’re only ten months away from Trade Secretary Liam Fox being able to negotiate and ratify trade deals. Yet there are no signs of MPs or the public being consulted on the food standards that these will entail. We urgently want to see details from Government about how these trade talks will be conducted.”