Thank you for all those who contacted me about environmental harm and human rights.

Let me begin by assuring you that the Government is committed to promoting the protection and respect of human and environmental rights in business, both at home and abroad.

I am proud to say that the UK was the first country to create a National Action Plan to implement the UN’s Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs), widely regarded as the authoritative international framework to steer practical action by governments and businesses worldwide on this important and pressing agenda.

This plan sets out what is expected in regard to the conduct of UK businesses, including compliance with relevant laws and respect for human rights; treating the risk of causing human rights abuses as a legal compliance issue; adopting appropriate due diligence policies; and consulting those who could potentially be affected. The Government expects all UK businesses to respect human rights throughout their operations, in line with the UNGPs, including in regard to their supply chains.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and Department of Business and Trade also produce guidance to assist businesses in exercising such standards in countries where particular concerns around human rights exist.

Specifically regarding environmental concerns, the Government is committed to going further than ever before to clamp down on illegal deforestation and forest protection. The Environment Act 2021 introduced a package of measures that ensures greater resilience, traceability and sustainability within the UK’s supply chains. The act also made it illegal for larger businesses operating in the UK to use key commodities that have been grown on land which is illegally occupied or used. Further in 2022, the Government held a consultation on implementing due diligence on forest risk commodities. In its response, the Government said that it was committed to implementing due diligence provisions through secondary legislation. This is an issue I will continue to monitor closely.

As President and host of COP26, the UK has led the way on securing agreement from 141 world leaders to work together to halt and reverse forest loss by 2030 under the Glasgow Leader's Declaration on Forests and Land Use. Signatory countries account for over 90 per cent of the world’s forests, including first-time commitments from Brazil and China. At home, HMG has introduced world-leading due diligence legislation through the Environment Act to tackle illegal deforestation in UK supply chains.

I am confident the Government has set the UK out on the right course to tackle this issue, and I hope you find this response reassuring.