Food Supply

(asked on 16th March 2022) - View Source

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to provide for the supply of (a) healthy and (b) British-produced food to public sector organisations.


Answered by
Victoria Prentis Portrait
Victoria Prentis
Attorney General
This question was answered on 24th March 2022

The Government is adopting an ambitious and transformational approach to public sector food and catering. We want the public sector to lead by example, championing local food and farmers, and healthy, sustainable produce.

We have a manifesto commitment to encourage the public sector to buy British, to support our farmers and reduce environmental costs. To help meet this commitment, we will soon be consulting on proposed changes to the Government Buying Standards for Food and Catering Services (GBSF). The consultation will seek views on ways to promote local, sustainable, healthier food in the public sector, open public sector procurement to a wider range of businesses and increase the transparency of food supply chains.

Organisations in scope are required to apply the GBSF as per the Procurement Policy Note published in November 2014. The GBSF also includes best practice standards which are recommended but not required. We will consider whether future reforms to regulation are needed to unlock the full potential of public sector food and catering.

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