(2) from which five countries of origin the greatest amount of food was procured by his Department in the last year for which figures are available; and what the (a) cost and (b) quantity procured was in each case.
The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost, but from information held centrally, it is estimated that the proportion of food supplied to DEFRA from UK sources since 2005 is as follows:
Percentage Value (£) 2005 65 629,244 2006 74 643,208 2007 85 606,606 20081 85 250,130 1 Six months.
I refer the hon. Member to the report published on the Public Sector Food Procurement Initiative website at:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/farm/policy/sustain/procurement/pdf/gov-food-usage.pdf
DEFRA again proposes to publish data by the end of 2008 on the proportion of domestically produced food purchased by Departments.
[holding answer 15 July 2008]: As set out in the Cabinet Office’s recent report on food “Food Matters”, DEFRA, working with the Department of Health and the Food Standards Agency will launch a process of engagement with stakeholders across the food chain to develop a vision for a sustainable food system. The vision will define the Government’s priorities and purpose across the food system and will consider issues such as food waste and sourcing alongside issues of nutrition and the environmental impacts of food consumption and production.
The Cabinet Office’s report also sets out how DEFRA will work with the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) and the food industry to reduce food waste both in the food supply chain and in the home.