Food Security

Is my hon. Friend aware that a former permanent secretary at DEFRA volunteered the information to the Public Accounts Committee that, following 9/11, officials approached Government Ministers at the time when the right hon. Member for Derby, South (Margaret Beckett) was Secretary of State to suggest to DEFRA officials that, in the light of that event, the Department should consider the minimum amount of self-sufficiency in this country? They were told by Ministers that that was not necessary.