Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of plant-based foods as an alternative to meat-based products in the context of the forthcoming Food Strategy White Paper.

The Government gathers and coordinates data and statistics to monitor food purchasing and eating habits to understand consumption trends. This includes the National Diet and Nutrition Survey, designed to collect detailed, quantitative information on the food consumption, nutrient intake and nutritional status of the general population in the UK and the Food Family Survey with detailed statistical information on purchased quantities, expenditure and nutrient intakes by UK households.

The Government's advice on consumption and diet is set out in the Eatwell Guide - which provides advice on how to obtain a balance of healthier and more sustainable food and includes recommendations such as to have a diet that includes more fibre, fruit and vegetables.