[holding answer 3 November 2008]: The EU treaty and public procurement regulations do not allow member states’ public bodies to give greater weight to the procurement of fish caught by UK vessels when awarding contracts. This is because public bodies are required to ensure public procurement is fair, transparent and not used to discriminate by setting up barriers to free trade. It would also reduce competition contrary to UK public procurement policy that is designed to achieve value for money for the taxpayer.
The legal and policy framework does, however, provide public bodies with the flexibility to be innovative in their procurement and, through the Public Sector Food Procurement Initiative (PSFPI), the Government are encouraging them to increase tendering opportunities for small and local producers and to work in partnership with their contractors to similarly open up their supply chains where this is commercially viable.
Various public bodies such as the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) and the South East Food Group Partnership are also currently working to promote the procurement of UK-caught fish within the private sector.