THE UK Government should follow Holyrood's lead and develop a food security taskforce, an SNP MP has said.

Deidre Brock made the suggestion as households continue to struggle with the cost of living,and some suppliers say their stocks are running low due to the impact of the war in Ukraine.

Ms Brock, the party's environment, food and rural affairs spokeswoman, warned that without such a taskforce, the country could face "substantial" supply issues in the short term.

The call comes after the world’s largest cooking oil bottler for UK shops, Edible Oils, announced that their stocks are running low, with only a few weeks' supply remaining. 

The Scottish Government recently established a taskforce to monitor, identify and respond to any potential disruption to food security and supply in light of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, with Ms Brock now urging Westminster to do the same.

She said: "The devastating events currently unfolding in Ukraine, coupled with the Tory-made cost of living crisis, is changing the way the world does business.

“As a result, the SNP Scottish Government took measures to better understand the potential impact of disruption to the food supply chain in Scotland and, crucially, how to mitigate the impact. 

"The UK government however has failed to follow suit and is now facing substantial supply issues. 

“That is why I am urging the UK government to follow Scotland’s lead by establishing a similar food security taskforce which will help monitor, identify, and respond to any potential disruption." 

She said that all four nations of the UK have been "hammered" in recent years by "Brexit, the pandemic and now the cost of living crisis" and continued: "

“It is time for the UK government to act, and act with haste.”

DEFRA has been contacted for comment.