Parliamentary Search

Written question asked by Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour) on Thursday, 23 July 2026, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 6 August 2026. It was answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Labour) on Wednesday, 5 August 2026 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Food: Public Sector

Question

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to deliver on their manifesto commitment to reform the Government Buying Standard for food and catering services to include a requirement for 50 per cent local and sustainable food; and what the proposed timeline and process for these reforms is.

Answer

This Government is open to considering all lawful means of achieving its ambition that half of all food purchased across the public sector should be locally produced or certified to higher environmental standards.

A new national procurement policy statement has been published which sets expectations for government contracts to favour products certified to high environmental standards that British producers are well-placed to meet.

Data collection on the extent to which public sector settings are serving food from local sustainable sources is currently underway. The department expect the work to be completed by Summer 2027.

Defra is considering the policy options available to deliver further on its ambitions for public sector food, including potentially updating the Government Buying Standards for Food and Catering Services.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
HL2747
Session
2026-27
Subjects
Catering Food Public sector Procurement Standards Reform
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk