Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure school canteen food is locally sourced.

The government remains committed to our ambition that half of all food served in public settings is either locally sourced or certified to higher environmental standards, and we are open to considering all lawful means of achieving this.

The school food standards allow school chefs and cooks creative freedom to adapt to the preferences of the children at their school, source seasonal or local food, and take advantage of price fluctuations. Presently, schools can voluntarily follow the government buying standards for food and catering, which includes advice around sourcing their school food.

The National Procurement Policy Statement already sets expectations for government contracts to favour products certified to high environmental standards that we think high-quality British producers are well-placed to meet.

The department is working closely with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs as they develop the Good Food Cycle vision.