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Supermarkets and Regional Farming

I absolutely agree with the hon. Gentleman. There are no two ways about it: the issue is about the word "local", and ensuring that it means local and guarantees sustainability in that community. It is about ensuring that local farmers and producers are protected and have a market on their doorstep, and about pricking the conscience of supermarkets. That is what all my hon. Friends who are present are saying tonight: it is about supermarkets having a conscience. The issue is important, because in 2008 the local products sold in Tesco accounted for 2.2 per cent. of UK sales, compared with 1.7 per cent. in the previous year. That is a 30 per cent. increase in sales when compared with 2007. The trend is continuing, and there is a market for local produce. Even Tesco recognises that, and everybody else does, too. That is why the issue is so important, and we have got to ensure that people understand it. In my constituency, we are lucky, because we have Booths, a regional supermarket chain that challenges the main supermarket players. It procures 80 per cent. of its meat from local producers, and it focuses on ensuring that its fish, bread and beer come from local ports, bakeries and breweries. It works hard to engage with the communities with which it trades, and as a result it has developed own-label product ranges in partnership with local suppliers and producers. That arrangement is good for farmers, communities and consumers, who can choose to buy locally sourced food that is celebrated and diverse. What more can we ask for? Booths has set the standard; that is the bar that we expect all the major changes to reach; and that is where we must try to drive the supermarkets. Booths is good for our area and a good employer, and we must listen to it and try to do what it does. We must ensure that we maintain local protection for our farmers. I am quite happy to say that we should protect our farmers; I have no qualms about that. It was suggested earlier that the French would think of nothing else, so we ought to ensure that we do so, too. The issue is about being fair and ensuring that we do so much more. Morrisons has a local policy to buy British meat—UK farm produce. That is good, but I should like to take Morrisons a little further down that road and say, "We welcome your buying policy for UK produce, but try to buy local for your local supermarkets, rather than shipping it up and down the country."