Food

Mr. Roger Williams
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether he has had recent discussions with ministerial colleagues in the Department of Health on food security and public health.

Jane Kennedy
Following the machinery of government changes in October 2008, DEFRA has taken the lead in co-ordinating food policy across Government. As part of that we have introduced a new departmental strategic objective to ensure a sustainable, secure and healthy food supply. I regularly discuss food and health matters with ministerial colleagues—the new ministerial sub-committee on food (DA(F)) is another vital vehicle for this—and officials from DEFRA, the Department of Health, and other Departments are working together towards achieving objectives that we share on food.