On Thursday 18 June 2026, the Lords National Resilience Committee
will quiz witnesses about the UK's food security, and the
preparedness of small business for hybrid attacks and other
emergencies.
At 10.00am, in Committee Room 2, it will hear evidence from:
- Prof Tim Lang, Professor Emeritus of Food Policy, University
of London
-
DL, Former President of
the National Farmers' Union
At 11.00am, the Committee will hear evidence from:
- Prof Nicola Ranger, Professor in Practice of Natural Capital,
Risk and Finance
- Jonathan Gray, Chief Underwriting Officer, Pool Re
Questions likely to be raised are:
- Should the UK create national, regional and local food
stockpiles for emergencies?
- What advice should the Government give the public to ensure
that an average household can achieve a realistic level of
resilience to food shortages?
- To what extent is the UK threatened by unattributed hybrid
attacks, which may include terrorism?
- What are the main barriers preventing SMEs from investing in
resilience, such as cost, expertise, insurance coverage, or lack
of guidance?
The committee can be followed here on Parliament TV, live
or later.
It has been set up to assess geopolitical, economic and
technological threats and examine how the the UK might best
prepare for, and respond to, national crises and disruptions.
It has already heard that resilience cannot be viewed narrowly as
an emergency response capability, and is looking at several areas
such as energy networks, vulnerabilities in digital
infrastructure, disinformation and other threats - and how
closer cooperation between government, public and private sectors
could mitigate risks. .
The session on Thursday forms part of an inquiry that will report
in November 2026.
