Written question asked by Baroness Redfern (Conservative) on Tuesday, 7 July 2026, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 21 July 2026. It was answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Labour) on Wednesday, 15 July 2026 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Food: Public Sector

Question: To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to updating data collection and reporting across public sector food contracts, including clear reporting of country of origin, to assist British farmers to benefit from public sector contracts.

Answer: We do not currently have access to sufficient data on the proportion of UK-produced food that is purchased across the public sector to produce reliable sector-specific estimates. However, we are carrying out further research to improve the quality, coverage, and understanding of this data and expect to conclude in summer 2027. The findings will inform future policy development, including how we might improve data collection and monitoring arrangements for public sector food procurement, increasing transparency and supporting opportunities for British farmers to benefit from public sector contracts.

Secondary information