Groceries Code Adjudicator

James Gray Excerpts

Tuesday 17th November 2015 Westminster Hall

[Chris Davies (Brecon and Radnorshire) (Con)]

May I echo the words of my friend the hon. Member for Ceredigion (Mr Williams)? I am delighted that my hon. Friend the Member for York Outer (Julian Sturdy)has brought this debate to Westminster Hall and highlighted this very important issue. While he is on the history, can we go back a little further? He will remember, as I am sure all hon. Members do, the great anticipation that there was for a Groceries Code Adjudicator. Various Governments had promised to create that role, but it never came about. When we brought it forward, there was great anticipation among the farmers and producers in my constituency of Brecon and Radnorshire that this organisation would have real teeth to deal with the situation with the supermarkets. As my hon. Friend rightly says, supermarkets are a very important part of—

[Mr James Gray (in the Chair)]

Order. Interventions must be brief.

[Chris Davies]

Yes, Mr Gray. The supermarkets are very important, but so is this adjudicator and so indeed are suppliers. When we look at the history, we see that we need to strengthen—

[Mr James Gray (in the Chair)]

Order. Interventions must be brief.

[Julian Sturdy]

I thank my hon. Friend for his intervention. He is absolutely right about looking back at the history. I remember, before the 2010 general election, attending many hustings and talking about a Groceries Code Adjudicator and how it was so important that we brought that forward. I remember, as I am sure a number of hon. Members here will, speaking in the debate on Second Reading of the Groceries Code Adjudicator Bill, and warning then that, while we had to bring that forward, we had to ensure that it had real teeth to act. I feel that it has been a good step forward, but there is much more work to do, and I want to touch on that.

--- Later in debate ---

[Julian Sturdy]

The hon. Gentleman makes a good point. We are absolutely talking about confidence in the industry—confidence for primary producers to invest in the sector and move their businesses forward, and confidence for the younger generation to get involved in the industry. He is absolutely right that the age of people running the industry is getting higher and higher, and we desperately need younger people to get in.

Food security, which I have touched on, is so important to our country. Imports of fruit and vegetables have increased by more than 650,000 tonnes in the past four years, and further decline in British food production will have serious consequences for food security and the farming sector. The GCA could have an important role in preventing supermarkets from exacerbating the problem.

Although the introduction of the GCA is to be welcomed, two years on it is clear that there is potential for the adjudicator to do so much more. The Government review will take place in only four months’ time. Will the Minister assure me and other Members here that details of the review will be published as early as possible? As I am sure she will agree, it is essential that the entire food sector has the opportunity to feed into the review, and the trade associations need time to present a strong submission. Will she assure me that submissions will be accepted from indirect suppliers, not just from direct suppliers who are currently under the GCA’s remit? Will she assure me, as the Prime Minister indicated to the House at the start of the year, that she will look at extending the adjudicator’s remit to help those right across the supply chain, including dairy farmers and fruit and vegetable producers?

A properly resourced GCA that has the right powers and acts proactively in the market has the potential to be a powerful source of fairness in a cut-throat industry. Anything less would be a missed opportunity, and British food producers and, ultimately, the end consumer would be all the poorer for it.

[Mr James Gray (in the Chair)]

Mr Shannon has inquired whether there is a time limit in this debate. There is no such time limit. None the less, I am keen to bring in the Chair of the Select Committee on Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in good time before the first of the three wind-ups. He might like to time his comments to allow that to occur.

--- Later in debate ---

[Rebecca Pow]

Will my hon. Friend give way?

[Mr James Gray (in the Chair)]

Order. I am keen for the wind-ups to start, so the intervention should be very brief.

[Rebecca Pow]

We have heard much about the 25-year plan for the future of great British food and farming, not just for Taunton Deane, where I come from, but for the whole of Britain. Is it not important that we give the Groceries Code Adjudicator teeth, so that she can be part of that 25-year plan and help to enable everything that we want for our home-grown food?