§ Mr. KeyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list by country of origin the percentage, based on value, of(a) pork, (b) lamb and (c) beef procured for the armed forces by (i) NAAFI and (ii) other for each of the five years to 1 October 1997; and if he will make a statement. [23975]
§ Mr. Spellar[holding answer Monday 19 Janaury 1998]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Montgomeryshire (Mr. Öpik) on 13 January 1998, Official Report, column 157, in which I gave an estimate on the breakdown of the 12 month period to September 1998. Figures for previous years do not exist.
Booker Foodservice began supplying food to the Armed Forces on 1 October 1997 under the terms of a contract agreed under the previous administration. That contract states that Booker should obtain meat, and for that matter all other products, at the best market prices in order to obtain best value for money for the taxpayer.