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Food: Procurement

Volume 501: debated on Tuesday 24 November 2009

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the proportion of (a) lamb, (b) beef, (c) chicken, (d) pork, (e) turkey, (f) other meats, (g) vegetables and (h) fruit procured by his Department that was produced in the UK in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. (300188)

A second report on the proportion of domestically produced food used by Government Departments and also supplied to hospitals and prisons under contracts negotiated by NHS Supply Chain and HM Prison Service was published in November 2008, covering the year from 1 April 2007 to 31 March 2008. This report and the first one covering the previous year can be found at:

http://www.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/policy/publicsectorfood/awareness.htm

The report gives details of the proportion of individual meat, fruit and vegetable categories purchased.

Although it is too early to show a trend, the report indicates that the amount of domestically produced food consumed by Government Departments in England is increasing. The proportion of domestically produced food procured by Communities has gone up from 59 per cent. in 2006-07 to 65 per cent. in 2007-08. We expect to publish a third report at the end of 2009.