Commons Sense

House of Commons · Westminster Hall

What Works Network: Centre for Food

02 March 2022 · 1 other contributor · 3,449 words

Opened by Alex Norris Labour (Co-op) Nottingham North and Kimberley

Responding minister: Victoria Prentis

Agriculture & Rural AffairsEnvironment

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Alex Norris raised concerns about what works network: centre for food in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.

Key points

  • Concerns about food sustainability and health are raised, highlighting research at the University of Nottingham's Sutton Bonington campus.
  • Food insecurity affects 4.9 million UK adults, representing a rise from 5.6% five years ago.
  • The agrifood sector contributes 121 billion to national gross value added but causes significant environmental damage.

Key requests to Government

I ask the Minister to visit the Sutton Bonington campus to see the fantastic research being conducted there and to recognise the importance of evidence-based policy that benefits both health and environmental sustainability. I ask the Government to establish a What Works Centre for Food as recommended by their own food strategy report. The centre would help drive evidence-based policies to improve health and sustainability in our food system.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Alex Norris Labour (Co-op) Nottingham North and Kimberley

I am concerned about the need to ensure that evidence-based policy is developed in order to improve food sustainability and health. The University of Nottingham's research on food sustainability is highlighted, with its Sutton Bonington campus conducting significant work in this area. I am concerned about the impact of food insecurity and the environmental damage caused by the current food system. According to the Food Foundation, 4.9 million adults are affected by food insecurity in the UK, a significant increase from 5.6% five years ago. The agrifood sector contributes £121 billion to our national gross value added but also causes substantial greenhouse gas emissions and land degradation. Additionally, 80% of processed foods sold in the UK are unhealthy, leading to widespread obesity and diabetes.

Other contributors (1)
  • Ruth Edwards Lab Warrington South

    She congratulated the hon. Gentleman on securing this debate, thanked him for giving way, and highlighted the University of Nottingham's work in her constituency at Sutton Bonington.

Government Response

Victoria Prentis

The Minister welcomed the debate and outlined the Government's approach to developing a food strategy White Paper, emphasizing the importance of evidence-based policy making and piloting interventions. She highlighted existing initiatives such as the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities and mentioned ongoing work on agricultural production through AHDB's new proposal for a What Works centre. The Minister noted that while the Government is considering recommendations for two What Works centres—one focusing on agricultural production and one on diet shift—they are not certain if this approach will be the best solution, particularly for diet shift where there is already substantial evidence available. She also mentioned spending over £270 million across their farming innovation programme to stimulate research and development in agricultural innovation.

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