§ Mr. Martyn JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will establish a review into the public health implications of community-led urban food growing projects in deprived areas; and if he will make a statement. [4888]
§ Ms JowellIn 1996, the National Food Alliance (NFA) and the Sustainable Agriculture Food and Environment (SAFE) Alliance published a report, Growing Food in Cities, which aimed to promote the benefits of urban agriculture in the United Kingdom. The report argued that increasing urban agriculture would yield a range of benefits including community development, economic development, education, environmental improvement, health, leisure and sustainable neighbourhoods.
The Government welcomes any initiatives such as local food growing projects which empower local communities and help them to address their own health needs. It recognises that in deprived urban areas in particular, food 619W growing projects can make an important contribution to improving not only the food supply but also quality of life.
The Department is currently funding the National Food Alliance and the Health Education Authority to produce a database of projects which aim to assist people on low incomes to eat more healthily. The database has already been launched nationally and will be fully operational later this year.