Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what the food budget was for UK troops each year for the past 10 years, excluding all training and deployments in the UK or abroad.

Personnel not undertaking training or deployed on operations can purchase food on a pay as you dine basis in messes or self-cater in their accommodation. Catering is supplied to bases via seven regional contracts with HESTIA. The contracts provide mess catering, retail, cleaning, laundry, and services such as tailoring and cobblers. The MOD sets specific requirements for food content and controls the price of meals. HESTIA provide 24 million meals per year and the contract for catering and facilities is £75 million per year. I refer my Noble Friend to the answer I have given to his related question HL7980 where the Daily Food Charge is set out.