§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has commissioned into the level of consumption of processed meals; and if he will make a statement. [157594]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonThe Department has not commissioned research into the level of consumption of processed meals. The National Diet and Nutrition Survey programme is a joint initiative between the Department and the Food Standards Agency. The survey covers consumption of different food types by individuals, including processed products such as breakfast cereals and baked beans.
The Expenditure and Food Survey (EFS) is commissioned jointly by the Office for National Statistics and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). Results from EFS presented in the report, Family Food in 2001 –02, show that consumption of meat-based ready meals, including takeaways consumed in the household, increased by 15 per cent. in comparison to 2000 –01, which represents a 70 per cent. increase compared to 1996 –97. The report is available on the Defra website at http:// statistics.defra.gov. uk/esg/.