Thank you for contacting me about access to affordable food.
You are right that the affordability of food is a serious issue and everyone has a right to nutritious and adequate food supply.
We are at last having a national debate about how we produce our food, support our farmers and maintain a high degree of food security. Much of this discussion has been born out of the pandemic, as well as supply chain shocks, the closure of borders, and the increase in home working, all of which have meant that we have needed to question our food production systems.
At this year’s excellent Dartmouth Food Festival, much of the conversation was around food production. The energy and drive are there, and it is now more essential than ever that these conversations are translated into action.
First, we need to shorten our own domestic supply chains. Supermarkets should operate using local food sources first, before going further afield. If done correctly we can improve the at-gate and at-port prices for farmers and fishermen. We can, in South Devon, go further and ensure that every town has a regular and well-attended farmer’s market. Using what we have in our midst is a sure way to sustain those farms upon which we all depend.
Second, education about our food needs to start in the earliest years of school. Every schoolchild across the country should have the opportunity to learn about the food they eat. In doing so, we can teach about seasonal variety and encourage healthier eating. A better understanding of food leads to better choices of eating.
Third, there must be a national food security report to Parliament, as outlined in the Agriculture Act, as soon as possible. Only by understanding our shortages can we address them and identify where we need to improve. The sooner we do so, the sooner we can harmonise our agricultural network in a manner that benefits farmers and the public.
The conversation, the debate and now the legislation are all moving in the right direction. These suggestions can all be achieved at a local level and in doing so, we can provide a national solution.
I agree that it is imperative that children have regular healthy and balanced meals throughout the day, to ensure they are able to thrive in the classroom. The Government has extended eligibility for free school meals and to more groups of children than any other over the past half century.
The Department for Education has also extended the Holiday Activities and Food Programme (HAF), which runs during major school holidays, for a further three years. The HAF programme has so far received over £200 million in funding, and is delivered by all 152 local authorities in England during the Easter, summer and Christmas holidays. It provides healthy meals, enriching activities and free childcare places to children from low-income families.
Further, as of this year, approximately 50,000 more children are benefitting from a free school meal compared to under the previous benefits system.