Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to increase the amount of baby formula procured by (a) the NHS and (b) other public services from UK-based businesses.

There are no specific plans to increase the amount of baby milk procured by the National Health Service and other public services from businesses based in the United Kingdom. All procurement opportunities are advertised and open to UK businesses.

All procurement within the NHS and other public services are conducted within the rules of the Government’s Public Contracts Regulations 2015, which stipulates that all suppliers are treated fairly and equally in the procurement process. The NHS and other public services account for a relatively small proportion of the supply of infant formula within the UK, with most of the supply through retail outlets.