Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Johnny Mercer and Daniel Zeichner

Thursday 16th March 2023 Commons Chamber

[The Minister for Veterans’ Affairs (Johnny Mercer)]

I of course pay tribute to the Veterans Charity—it was a fantastic visit—but I also pay tribute to my hon. Friend’s advocacy of it over many years. It has been extraordinary. It provides great services down in the south-west, and I pay tribute to it.

[Daniel Zeichner (Cambridge) (Lab)]

It has recently been revealed that the Crown Commercial Service in the Cabinet Office is planning to replace local buying and distribution agreements for food and catering services with what it calls a single national prime supplier. That will have a profound effect on many local and regional wholesalers in Cambridge and across the country. Can the Minister tell us what assessment he has made of that impact, and will he meet me and representatives of those wholesalers to assess the situation?