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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that consideration of the food and nutrition needs of infants and young children, and associated challenges facing young families, is included in the forthcoming White Paper on the National Food Strategy.

The forthcoming Government Food Strategy is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create a food system that feeds our nation today and protects it for tomorrow. It will build upon work already underway in the Agriculture Act, Fisheries Act, and Environment Bill as well as docking into wider Government priorities, such as the obesity strategy.

The Government is wholly committed to supporting people on lower incomes, for example through increasing the living wage and spending over £111 billion on welfare support for people of working age in 2021/22.

It is also supporting the health and nutrition of young families through initiatives like the School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme and this year’s increase to The Healthy Start voucher value. The School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme provides a free piece of fruit or vegetable to every child in Key Stage 1 at state-funded primary schools on every school day, while the Healthy Start vouchers encourage a healthy diet for pregnant women, babies and young children from low-income households, and increased in value from £3.10 to £4.25 from April 2021.

Defra will continue to work closely with all other relevant Departments across Whitehall to develop a plan to ensure the food system is sustainable and affordable, supporting people and families to live healthy lives, and incorporate within our Food Strategy