§ Mr. LidingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much was spent on food by his Department and by each agency for which it is responsible in(a) 2001–02 and (b) 2002–03; what proportion of that food by value was produced in the United Kingdom; what guidance he has issued to encourage the procurement of home-produced food; and if he will make a statement. [129376]
§ Mr. McNultyThe Department came into being on 29 May 2002. The information requested is given in the following table.
The Department's catering services are all contracted out, with the contractor recovering costs through the sale of services. Expenditure on food in DfT is, therefore, limited to official hospitality provided by the Department and its Agencies, and canteen subsidies. Records of spend on food provided at some external conferences and similar events are not kept centrally and are not included.
The Department does not generally prescribe the sourcing of goods and produce supplied to the Department or sold in staff restaurants, nor are contractors currently required to provide this information. The percentage and value of foodstuffs sourced from the UK under existing departmental catering contracts is not, therefore, readily available.
DEFRA has published a "Guidance and action Sheet for buyers and their internal customers" that includes guidance on local sourcing and in particular how to remove obstacles to tendering faced by local and UK suppliers. I am taking steps to ensure that the guidance is implemented by departmental purchasers involved in the procurement of facility management/catering services.
We are also working closely with DEFRA, and our agencies, to integrate and promote the principles of sustainable development into the public procurement of food and catering services.
1059W
Department/Agency 2001–02 hospitality expenditure (£) 2001–02 canteen subsidies (£) Estimated percentage of procured food produced in UK in 2001–02 Estimated monetary value of UK produced food supplied to organisation in 2001–02 (£) (Central) Department Not Available1 None Not Available1 Not Available1 Driving Standards Agency 54,575 None Not Available1 Not Available2 Driver Vehicle and Licensing Agency 35,512 None 86 Not Available2 Highways Agency 216,995 9,692 Not Available2 Not Available2 Maritime and Coastguard Agency 35,525 None Not Available2 Not Available2 Vehicle Certification Agency 2,000 None Not Available2 Not Available2 Vehicle and Operator Services Agency 147,787 142,921 60 Not Available2 Total 492,394 152,613 — —
Department/Agency 2002–03 hospitality expenditure (£) 2002–03 canteen subsidies (£) Estimated percentage of procured food produced in UK in 2003–03 Estimated monetary value of UK produced food supplied to organisation in 2002–03 (£) (Central) Department 3161,924 None Not Available2 Not Available2 Driving Standards Agency 28,364 None Not Available2 Not Available2 Driver Vehicle and Licensing Agency 92,188 None 87 Not Available2 Highways Agency 212,103 13,461 Not Available2 Not Available2 Maritime and Coastguard Agency 46,587 None Not Available2 Not Available2 Vehicle Certification Agency 2,000 None Not Available2 Not Available2 Vehicle and Operator Services Agency 90,357 33,980 60 Not Available2 Total 633,503 47,441 — — 1 The Department for Transport came into being on 29 May 2002, earlier figures for the predecessor department are not available. 2 This information is not held centrally, and is not readily available from catering service providers. 3 The Department for Transport came into being on 29 May 2002, the figure shown only includes available data from that date up to and including 31 March 2003.