Secretary Of State's Address To 2025 FDF Investment Summit

Good evening. Very delighted to be here. Thank you for that introduction, Karen.

It's a pleasure to be here at the FDF Investment Summit. And the food and drink sector is at the heart of Britain's economy, and partnership between government and industry has never been more important.

And I just want to start by saying I've been in your shoes. Before returning to Parliament last year, I call it my parliamentary sabbatical, that's a nice way of putting it, I was kicked out of one parliamentary seat - I spent time working for a trade association representing businesses.

And this experience taught me that when government and business work in partnership, we achieve much more than we would do if we work separately. And that partnership approach is exactly what I want to bring to this role.

You are the UK's largest manufacturing sector - bigger than automotive and aerospace combined - and make an enormous contribution to our economy. You employ nearly half a million people across the country. You contribute £37 billion to our economy and you export £25 billion of British food and drink around the world.

Your sector is a national success story - one of which we should be very, very proud - with businesses in every single part of the country, not just feeding the nation but also powering regional economic growth and supporting communities up and down the country.

And I've seen this with my own eyes. One of my favourite constituency visits was when I went to Pladis Biscuit Research and Development Centre in High Wycombe, where I was lucky enough to visit and sample the latest biscuits. When I went home that evening, my kids couldn't believe that it was my job to eat chocolate biscuits while donning a blue hair net.

But on a more serious note, I was delighted to see world-class manufacturing, cutting-edge food science, and the kind of innovation that feeds our nation. And so, as we said in our manifesto last year, food security is national security. A resilient food system is the bedrock of the sustained economic growth that our country needs.

My colleague, Minister Kate Dearden, who was with you earlier today and set out the Government's support for exports and our commitment to cut regulatory burdens by 25%. Our two departments are working closely together and the food and drink industry is one of my top priorities. I'm determined to champion the sector across government and see it go from strength to strength.

Together, I think we can create the right conditions for investment that drive a dynamic and innovative future for advanced food and drink manufacturing in the UK. I've seen your document today which sets out bold ambitions for investment and growth, and these align with the Government's number one mission, which is to grow the economy. Sure, you might have heard that somewhere before.

We want to work with you to unlock your sector's potential. You need clarity and you need stability. And today I want to set out how we will help to cut your business costs and the complexity of regulation.

First, I would like to talk about cutting red tape and costs for your exports and imports.

I know that my colleague Kate spoke about the importance of our EU partnership earlier today. Resetting that relationship is a key pledge of our government. And the new agreement we made with the European Union will be vital as we grow the economy.

And so Monday and Tuesday, I was in Brussels meeting with European partners, and I'm thrilled that earlier today our SPS negotiations have just started. An SPS agreement will mean less paperwork, lower costs, faster movement of goods. It isn't just about exports though. It's about making it easier and cheaper to do business here in the UK.

Getting this right will make agri-food trade with our biggest market cheaper and easier. It will help make exporting and importing to the EU easier for every business in the room today.

Minister Angela Eagle and I recently convened our 16 Agri-Food Attachés, who are promoting British food and drink around the world - from Scotch whisky in Sao Paulo to British pork for Mexico's famous tacos. This year this team has successfully brought down 41 market access barriers, which industry estimates are worth just under £100 million. This is the kind of practical support that helps your sector break into new markets and boost exports.

I also know that you are concerned about unnecessary import costs. So this evening I'm delighted to announce that Defra, DBT and HMT have come together to launch a process to identify new business tariff suspensions. You'll be able to tell us directly which tariffs will be most helpful to suspend in order to reduce your costs.

We want to remove tariffs on ingredients that British companies need that we don't produce domestically. And you know better than anyone which commodities we can target. The government wants to help you reduce your costs and we want to see savings passed on to consumers. A win-win for business and families across the country.

Second, we want to improve the regulatory environment, which I know is one of your top concerns and you were discussing in the panel. For too long uncertainty and short-term thinking has held investment back and that can't continue. It's vital we get this right because when you can't plan with confidence, there is a risk that investment goes elsewhere.

And the Chancellor has been clear on this: if growth is the challenge, investment is the solution. And investment requires confidence - confidence that comes from clarity about the regulatory landscape that you're operating in. And that's exactly what we're determined to provide.

Just last week, alongside the investment minister Lord Stockwood, I joined Mars and the US Ambassador to discuss exactly this challenge. And these conversations matter because they help us design smarter regulation from the ground up. So today I'm delighted to announce that my department is working with DBT and across government to introduce a Food Inflation Gateway.

And here's what that will mean in practice. We'll assess new government regulations for their impact on food businesses and food prices. We will give you a single line of sight - you'll know what's coming, when it's coming, and you'll have time to prepare. We'll coordinate across UK government departments, we'll sequence regulations sensibly, so you're not hit with multiple new requirements all at once.

This is the clarity that unlocks investment, the visibility you need to confidently invest in technology and automation, in AI - all of these things that drive productivity.

These productivity gains keep costs down and put a downward pressure on food prices. And I want Defra to be your partner in driving that innovation, championing this sector across government. Together, we will make the UK the leader in Europe in food innovation, productivity and sustainability.

And that partnership approach extends well beyond trade and regulation. It's also about creating the broader conditions where good growth can flourish.

So, third, I want to work with you to drive good growth - growth that strengthens our food system for the long term, that creates opportunities for the environment, economy and healthier societies.

We have already started this transformation. Many of you in this room are working with us to take forward our Good Food Cycle strategy, which identified ten clear outcomes for a healthier, more affordable, sustainable and resilient food system.

When you invest in healthier products, in more efficient production - in innovation that creates markets, drives competitiveness and builds resilience - it also creates a sector which is attractive to talent.

And we're working with Skills England to ensure that your sector has the skilled workforce it needs, both now and for the future. From advanced manufacturing techniques to food science innovation, we're committed to developing the talent pipeline your sector needs to compete globally - to sustain the growth of your sector into the future. That's the kind of growth that benefits your businesses, British farmers and consumers.

In conclusion, I want to thank you for your partnership, ambition and contribution. Defra is a growth department, and sustainable economic growth is our government's number one mission. Your sector is pivotal to achieving that mission.

Today I've announced two significant measures that will directly support you: introducing a process for new business tariff suspensions that will reduce your input costs, and launching a Food Inflation Gateway that will give you clarity on upcoming regulations and their impact on your businesses.

I want to work with you to help reduce your costs, cut complexity and give you the confidence to invest, to innovate and to grow.

When your sector thrives, Britain thrives. Jobs are created, living standards rise and our communities are strengthened.

So, let's build that future together. Thank you.