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Ministers fail to deliver pledge on buying British to assist farmers
THE Government has missed a key target to help British farmers by buying more home-grown food.
After the election, the Government said that by the end of January every Whitehall department would be buying food produced to tougher British welfare standards as long as was affordable.
But officials at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) admit they have failed to do so, blaming the cost of breaking contracts mid-term.
Instead, departments were issued with guidance last month on how to go about buying British-quality food which will be included in new Government “buying standards” due to be introduced next month.
The failure to hit the target is embarrassing for the Tories who had made the issue a priority in opposition.
Shadow Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary Mary Creagh, the MP for Wakefield, said: “It is disappointing that Defra, which is supposed to lead the way on British food has missed its target to source food to British production standards.
“None of the other departments appear to have this as a target which begs the question, was this just another Tory pre-election soundbite?”
Figures published last year revealed major institutions like the NHS, Ministry of Justice and Foreign Office all recorded significant drops in the proportion of domestic food they bought in the previous 12 months under Labour. The amount of UK poultry bought slumped from 68 per cent in 2007-08 to 56 per cent in 2008-09, while domestic pork fell from 74 per cent to 62 per cent, a blow to struggling pig farmers.
Before the election, the Tories promised to move swiftly to ensure government departments bought more British food and said improvements could happen “very fast”.
Although forcing departments to Buy British would break European laws, it is possible for the public sector to be required to buy produce raised to higher domestic welfare standards, making it more likely produce would be British. But in the latest copy of Defra’s business plan, published online as part of a transparency drive by the Government, officials admit they have missed the target that by the end of January all departments should “begin sourcing food meeting British or equivalent standards of production, subject to no overall increase in costs”.
A National Farmers’ Union spokesman said: “We are aware that Defra missed their January target for buying British produce. We have spoken to Defra and know that the issues are being addressed.
“The Government Buying Standards for Food have now gone to consultation. This will support more balanced choices in those areas the Government is directly responsible for like central government departments.”
A Defra spokesman said: “We are committed to leading by example on buying more food produced to British, or equivalent, standards without increasing costs, and to help achieve this we issued new guidance on meeting these standards to Government departments in January.
“Some departments are already sourcing food meeting British or equivalent standards of production. However, we recognise that it is not always possible to change contracts mid-term without incurring cost penalties. Departments have been asked to formally report on progress in June.”
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