Encourage public sector to buy more British food, say MPs

The UK government must do more to back British farmers through public sector food procurement spend, says a cross-party group of MPs.

In a new report (PDF), the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Efra) committee urges the government to update its buying standards for food (GBSF) into the new decade, address outdated standards on nutrition and animal welfare, and close loopholes in the existing rules.

Neil Parish, Conservative MP for Tiverton and Honiton and chairman of the Efra committee, said the government has a “real opportunity” to support high standards, small businesses and British farmers through its food procurement system.

See also: Campaign letter to PM calls for public sector to buy British

“Our prisons, schools and hospitals spend billions [about £2bn] each year on food, yet government buying standards are not up to date and remain poorly enforced,” said Mr Parish.

“Our report found buying British does not have to be more expensive – and at the same time we can support local, seasonally produced food, which is often healthier for the consumer, has lower food miles, and chimes with the government’s own net-zero and future farming ambitions too.

“Government buying standards should therefore be urgently updated and made mandatory across the public sector.”

The report also expresses “disappointment” that the government has not used the GBSF as a mechanism to promote buying British within the public sector, as is the norm within public bodies in countries such as France.

The report recommends:

• GBSF should be made mandatory across the public sector in England, including in schools and local government, which are currently merely “encouraged” to comply
• GBSF is updated to ensure that public bodies are encouraged to source seasonal produce, therefore supporting British producers
• The immediate removal of an exemption to the GBSF which permits deviation from the UK food production and animal welfare standards in the case of “significant increase in costs”
• The introduction of dynamic purchasing systems – which proved, during a pilot run by Bath and North East Somerset Council, to be cost-effective for public bodies while supporting small enterprises – should be prioritised
• Inspection bodies, such as the Care Quality Commission, should monitor compliance with GBSF in their sectors.

Mr Parish said failure to act by ministers would leave them in danger of falling short on their manifesto pledges “to encourage the public sector to buy British, support our farmers and reduce environmental costs at the same time”.

Farmers Weekly has contacted Defra to request a comment.