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Food Security

In summer 2007, the Prime Minister asked the Strategy Unit to take forward a project on food and food policy. The terms of reference for the project were: to review the main trends in food production and consumption in the UK; to analyse the implications of those trends for the economy, society and the environment (including analysing the main drivers of change); to assess the robustness of the current policy framework for food; and to review what should be the objectives of future food strategy and the measures needed to achieve them. Today the Strategy Unit has published its final report on food. It sets out a series of proposals that will be taken forward within Government. DEFRA will be leading work with the agriculture sector to look at ways to mitigate and adapt to climate change, with the food supply chain to reduce food and packaging waste, and with stakeholders in the food system—primary producers, food manufacturers, retailers, and consumers—to develop ideas for the future. The Department of Health will be taking forward work to promote healthier eating with consumers and working with the food industry to increase consumption of fruit and vegetables. They will also lead on developing nutritional standards for food provided through public sector catering. The Food Standards Agency will take forward work to make it easier for consumers to get Government information and advice on a healthy, environmentally sustainable diet. The FSA will improve information on healthier choice options from shopping for food to eating out, and will develop a ““whole food chain approach”” to food safety. The Cabinet Office will take a central role in co-ordinating the implementation and delivery of the actions announced in the Strategy Unit's report, through a new Food Strategy Task Force. In addition, DEFRA will shortly publish a discussion paper on the UK's food security. A copy of the Strategy Unit report will be deposited in the Library of the House and is available on the Cabinet Office's website.