Oral Answers to Questions

Bill Esterson Excerpts

Thursday 6th February 2025 Commons Chamber

[Bill Esterson (Sefton Central) (Lab)]

11. What steps he is taking to encourage public bodies to purchase British produce.

[The Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs (Daniel Zeichner)]

Over recent weeks we have announced a series of reforms delivering on the Government’s new deal for farmers, ensuring that, in line with World Trade Organisation rules and domestic procurement rules, we can ensure that procurement is used to back British farmers.

[Bill Esterson]

Farmers and growers in my constituency want to sell to hospitals and schools, but over the past few years they have found that increasingly difficult, not least because of the procurement chapters in the trade agreements that were concluded by the Conservative Government. Will my hon. Friend confirm that, under this Government, growers and farmers will be able to sell to public bodies and play their part in keeping Britain fed?

[Daniel Zeichner]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right; there is a real opportunity here, with £5 billion of purchasing power in the public sector, so we are looking at ways of ensuring that happens. It was a real surprise for us to find that the previous Government had not even measured the amount that was being bought—that is the starting point. We will start to make that happen, and we will get that huge opportunity for British farmers.