Prioritising British Produce Public Bodies 2025-03-20
2025-03-20
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP references the government's commitment to ensuring that half of public sector food supply comes from local producers or those certified to higher environmental standards.
I welcome the Minister’s commitment to ensuring that 50% of public procurement is of British produce. Given the significant £5 billion of bargaining power that this represents, what steps is he taking to ensure that this leads to fairer prices for farmers and supports the fundamental operating profitability of the sector?
We are absolutely determined to make the best of this opportunity, not least because the previous Government did not know how much we were actually buying. The Secretary of State has announced that we will monitor the food bought in the public sector, and that will inform our policy of making sure that British farmers make the most of the opportunity for public procurement.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific actions to ensure fairer prices and profitability were not detailed.
We Are Determined To Make This Happen
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP references the Secretary of State's commitments at the Oxford farming conference in January, expressing concern about farm incomes under pressure due to recent changes.
The Secretary of State spoke about a plan for change including a commitment to public sector procurement, but it is now March. With the closure of the basic payment scheme and the ending of the sustainable farming incentive, farm incomes are under real cash pressure in the here and now. When will we hear more detail about these commitments?
As I said in response to my hon. Friend the Member for St Austell and Newquay, the first thing we needed to do was establish how much we are actually buying, and that is now in progress. I absolutely get the point about the urgency.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific timeline or details on support measures were not provided.
We Are Determined To Make This Happen
Response accuracy