MPs urge ministers to introduce long-awaited rules on supply chain deforestation
Under the previous Government's proposals, businesses will be prohibited from using or selling goods containing palm oil, cocoa, beef, leather and soy linked to deforestation.
This due diligence system was part of the 2021 Environment Act but ministers are yet to bring forward the necessary secondary legislation or set a timetable for when they will do so.
EAC chairman Toby Perkins asked Mr Reed to set out a specific date for introducing the legislation 'ideally before the New Year' so that the rules can be in place for the new financial year in April.
The letter said: 'Delays in bringing forward this legislation makes the Cop15 agreement to halt and reverse biodiversity loss, and the UK's commitment to ending deforestation and forest degradation by 2030, harder to achieve.
'However, it also leaves businesses with uncertainty and will leave them with less time to prepare and comply with the regime.
'On 2 June, in your response to the Committee, you recognised the urgency of taking action to ensure forest risk commodities are not driving deforestation and stated you would set out the Government approach in due course.'
Several British supermarkets recently warned that they are in 'limbo' waiting for the Government to introduce the new rules.
In an open letter earlier this month, retailers such as Tesco, Sainsbury's and Lidl said deforestation presents an increasing risk to supply chain stability as well as food security.
But they also said the UK could suffer millions in export losses to the European Union if Government inaction leaves businesses unprepared to comply with the bloc's own deforestation rules, which are due to come into force at the end of this year.
Asked recently whether the Government has a timetable for introducing the legislation, the Environment Secretary told the PA news agency: 'Currently no, but we are working at pace so we can do this as quickly as possible.'
On the supermarkets' letter and whether the Government is looking to speed up progress on introducing the rules, Mr Reed said: 'Absolutely.'
'I agree with the supermarkets,' he said. 'The previous Government was just dragging their heels without ever coming to a conclusion about what we do about protecting forests in other countries as well as in our own country.
'And of course forests, trees, woodlands were very important for capturing carbon and cleaning the atmosphere so we don't want to be importing food that has been grown where the forests have been destroyed.
'The Government is working with supermarkets, with food producers and internationally to make sure we get the outcome and we can do that as soon as possible to give everybody certainty about how we move forward on this.'
PA has contacted the Environment Department for comment.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
19 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Brexit has been a resounding disaster. Starmer must find the courage to change course
Brexit isn't working, and the British people know it. Poll after poll, including that unveiled this weekend by More In Common for the Sunday Times, shows that people are feeling the terrible damage caused by the deal forced upon us by Boris Johnson, Kemi Badenoch and the rest of the Conservative party, and want something different. The latest shows less than a third of Britons would vote to leave the EU if a referendum were repeated. There's no doubt that fundamental change is needed. There's no doubt the public will is there to make it happen. The question is: will Keir Starmer seize the moment and deliver it? There are big prizes on offer if he does. Giving our economy the boost it desperately needs, pulling it out of the cycle of low growth and high debt that the Conservatives plunged us into. Helping to raise more funding to lift our NHS and other public services off their knees. And, crucially, showing people that there is a better, more hopeful way forward than the nasty, nonsensical 'solutions' they hear from Nigel Farage and his fellow snake-oil salespeople on the right. Because people are, understandably, fed up. After so many failures of Conservative and Labour governments, people's faith in politics is at an all-time low. Many people just don't believe that any government of any party can really make their lives better. And beyond our shores, they see a world rife with conflict and instability, making it even harder to envisage our domestic challenges being solved. It's no surprise that all this disillusionment is fuelling the rise of rightwing populists such as Farage. Restoring faith in politics is critical if we are to save our country from a Reform UK-Conservative coalition of chaos. And acting decisively to fix our broken relationship with Europe is Starmer's big chance. To be fair, the prime minister has made some tentative steps in the right direction. He has at least shown a willingness to take a more positive and pragmatic approach to Europe than his Conservative predecessors. He has talked about a youth mobility scheme and bringing down trade barriers in key sectors such as farming and energy. But so far, all these amount to little more than promises to 'work towards' new deals. For all the smiles at the 'reset' summit in May, there's very little in the way of concrete progress to date. Like so much of this government's record, it risks becoming too much like 'continuity Sunak': all process and promises, no real change. But with growth still flatlining, Donald Trump wreaking havoc on the global economy and populism on the march, this challenge is much too urgent for such timidity. Of course, we know why Starmer has been reluctant to go further. He's spooked by the combined threat of the Conservatives and Reform, both of whom are itching for the chance to plunge Britain back into the nasty Brexit wars of the past decade. Well, I say let them try. With so many serious problems in need of urgent solutions, the British people have absolutely no appetite for all that division and distraction, and they will have no truck with politicians who do. The way to see off the populist right isn't to cower in its shadow; it's to step up and offer a compelling, positive alternative. So what does that look like? The first thing the prime minister should do is raise his sights when it comes to negotiating with the EU. This can't be about the odd limited improvement for this sector here or that sector there. The government has to be far more ambitious than just trying to polish up the rough edges of Johnson's bad deal. Just imagine if, instead, the prime minister set a clear target of leading the UK into a new customs union with the EU by 2030. That could be truly transformative. It's the single biggest thing the government could do to turbocharge our economy in the medium and long term. It would set us firmly on the path back to the single market, with all the benefits that would bring. It would be a game-changer – not just for our economy, but for the future of British politics. And not only that. A clear commitment to work towards a customs union would unlock big benefits for the UK now. It would give us the power to finally sign a veterinary and plant health agreement to boost British farming, and secure that youth mobility scheme to give our young people incredible new opportunities to live, work and travel across Europe, while also helping British employers to recruit the workers they need. Or even something less headline-grabbing but potentially just as impactful, such as joining the European Union Aviation Safety Agency. Post-Brexit rules mean that air cargo firms – such as the one run by a constituent of mine – can't have repair work done in Europe, apart from by the single German workshop that is recognised by the UK. It means they have to fly their planes all the way to the US just to get them serviced – at huge expense. With a more ambitious approach to Europe, we could get rid of that ridiculous red tape, and so much more like it. We could free British businesses to get on with their work, create jobs and grow our economy. That is the real change people across the country are crying out for. The opportunity is there and the rewards are great. I really hope the prime minister is listening. Ed Davey is the leader of the Liberal Democrats and MP for Kingston and Surbiton
Daily Mail
31 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
JEFF PRESTRIDGE: How to stop millions of pensioners getting taxed on their state pensions
Many pensioners feel victimised by Labour – and understandably so. Deprived last year of their universal right to winter fuel payment, they continue to be hit by a toxic mix of rising household bills and higher taxes on their income and savings. Yet they refuse to lie down without an almighty fight. Buoyed by the Government's partial U-turn on winter fuel payment, they have now set their sights on getting Chancellor Rachel Reeves to lift the freeze on the personal allowance, which has been stuck at £12,570 since 2021 – and is currently set to remain at this level until at least 2028.
Daily Mail
31 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Business chiefs fear ID chaos under new rules to force company directors to verify their identities
Company directors will have to verify their identities under rules to be imposed from November. The Government confirmed the roll-out date yesterday despite fears that the imminent shake-up of Companies House will spark chaos among businesses. The Mail on Sunday has revealed that only 300,000 have done the checks since an online portal opened for voluntary registrations in April this year. From November 18, new directors must verify their identity to incorporate a company or be appointed to a registered business. The crackdown, which is designed to tackle fraud and money laundering, has already caused confusion. Some business owners who have completed the checks told The Mail on Sunday that it was a cumbersome and time-consuming process.
