To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what his Department’s policy is on the use of fair trade goods (a) in staff catering facilities and (b) at official departmental functions and meetings; and if he will make a statement. (183853)

Guidance on the use of fairtrade goods is set out on the “fairtrade” page of the Public Sector Food Procurement Initiative (PSFPI) website at:

http://www.defra.gsi.gov.uk/farm/policy/sustain/procurement/trade.htm

Departmental policy is to promote fairtrade goods through voluntary non-contractual means. From information held centrally, 100 per cent. of the tea, coffee and chocolate provided for hospitality functions is free trade. Members of staff have the option of buying fairtrade products in staff catering facilities and have been encouraged to purchase fairtrade products through awareness raising campaigns.

DEFRA’s ‘Catering Services Food Procurement Toolkit’

http://www.defra.gov.uk/farm/sustain/procurement/toolkit.htm

covers fairtrade products at pages 6, 16, 37, 38, 79, 93 and 123.