§ Mr. SteenTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the benefit of community supported agriculture to local communities. [82788]
§ Mr. MorleyIn response to the Policy Commission on the Future of Farming and Food's report, a local food working group, made up of officials from the Department of Health, the Food Standards Agency, the Countryside Agency, the Regional Development Agencies and Defra has been set up. This group is considering the evidence relating to the impacts of local food initiatives, including community supported agriculture, and the wider issues relating to local food so that Government policy in this area can be developed as appropriate. The working group expect to report their findings in spring 2003.