http://www.edms.org.uk/topics/food Monitor early day motions listed under the topic of Food en-gb Fri, 22 Mar 2013 07:00:00 +0000 Mon, 20 May 2013 14:04:48 +0000 252 http://www.edms.org.uk/2012-13/1239.htm That this House is alarmed at research presented at the American Heart Association conference that suggests sugar-sweetened drinks may be associated with 180,000 deaths around the world each year; notes that data collected as part of the 2010 Global Burden of Diseases Study links 133,000 diabetes deaths, 44,000 deaths from cardiovascular diseases and 6,000 cancer deaths to the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages; further notes that 78 per cent of these deaths were due to over-consumption of sugary drinks in low and middle-income countries rather than high-income countries; and urges the Government to take immediate action to lessen these unnecessary deaths in the UK by introducing legislation to tax sugar-sweetened beverages. Fri, 22 Mar 2013 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2012-13/1239 http://www.edms.org.uk/2012-13/1195.htm That this House notes the campaign by the organisation Enough Food For Everyone If is supported by a very wide array of organisations, including many religious organisations; further notes that the campaign is calling for the Government to commit 0.7 per cent of national income to go to life-saving international aid, stopping children from dying of hunger and helping the poorest people in poorer countries feed themselves; further notes it is calling for the Government to commit to spend at least Thu, 14 Mar 2013 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2012-13/1195 http://www.edms.org.uk/2012-13/1191.htm That this House is shocked by the statistic that around 700,000 school-age children living in poverty are not receiving free school meals; congratulates the Children's Society for revealing this shameful state of affairs; notes that many working parents below the poverty line are discriminated against by being denied this crucial health benefit for their children because they are employed; further notes that a single parent working for 16 hours a week and a couple working 24 hours, both on working tax credit, cannot qualify, however poor they may be; and calls on the Government to ensure that all school-age children living in poverty receive free school meals whether or not their parents have jobs. Thu, 14 Mar 2013 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2012-13/1191 http://www.edms.org.uk/2012-13/1166.htm That this House recognises the serious public health implications of chronic aflatoxin exposure, which affects an estimated 4.5 billion people living in developing countries, is responsible for over a quarter of the world's liver cancer, and contributes to childhood stunting and immunosuppressive disorders; acknowledges the economic impact of aflatoxin contamination on smallholder farmers, both in terms of long-term health problems and export losses due to unsafe levels of the toxin; and calls on the Government to ensure this issue is addressed in the post-2015 Development Goals through funding for household, private sector and national crop drying, storage and primary processing to improve food safety and food security. Mon, 11 Mar 2013 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2012-13/1166 http://www.edms.org.uk/2012-13/1134.htm That this House notes with concern that horsemeat was discovered in a beef lasagne product that was labelled to contain 100 per cent beef; further notes that butchers in Morecambe and Lunesdale constituency serve top quality meats often sourced from the area; and urges the Government to encourage people all over the UK to shop with local butchers to guarantee good quality meat. Fri, 01 Mar 2013 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2012-13/1134 http://www.edms.org.uk/2012-13/1101.htm That this House welcomes the report by the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges calling for an introduction of a 20 per cent tax on the sale of soft drinks and more advice for parents on the costs of high calorie food; notes the 10 point plan recommended by the report to reduce the 5.1 billion obesity cost to the NHS; recognises that the soft drink industry must take responsibility for the effect of its products on the nation's health; and calls on the Government to take immediate action by introducing a tax on soft drinks and legislation to reduce the amount of sugar, salt and fat in food and drinks. Tue, 26 Feb 2013 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2012-13/1101 http://www.edms.org.uk/2012-13/1089.htm That this House believes that home produced lamb and beef is of a superb world-beating standard, its traceability from farm to fork is a key asset, an increase in its consumption would be a significant positive step towards combating the danger of further food scandals and that it is essential that it is processed in properly regulated local abattoirs. Wed, 13 Feb 2013 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2012-13/1089 http://www.edms.org.uk/2012-13/1007.htm That this House welcomes the report by the charity Sustain recommending the introduction of a 20 pence per litre levy on sugary drinks to be included in the next Budget, due to their contribution to increasing levels of obesity; notes that there are 60 organisations, including the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, backing the recommendations which would encourage consumers to make healthier choices; highlights the report's conclusion that voluntary agreements with industry are failing to provide any significant changes tothe nation's health; further notes that obesity is a leading factor in the development of Type 2 diabetes; and urges the Government to take immediate action by introducing legislation to limit the amount of sugar, salt and fat in our food and drink. Fri, 01 Feb 2013 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2012-13/1007 http://www.edms.org.uk/2012-13/968.htm That this House welcomes the decision made by GlaxoSmithKline to reduce the amount of sugar in two of their best selling drinks; notes that Lucozade will reduce sugar content by 8 per cent and Ribena by 10 per cent; recognises that food and soft drink manufacturers must take some responsibility for helping people to make healthier choices; further notes that currently the Responsibility Deal agreements with industry are voluntary; recommends other manufacturers follow suit and reduce sugar content in their products; and calls on the Government to introduce legislation to limit the amount of sugar, salt and fat in food and drink. Thu, 24 Jan 2013 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2012-13/968 http://www.edms.org.uk/2012-13/937.htm That this House notes that tens of millions of British consumers have been taking safe and popular vitamin and mineral supplements for many decades to help them achieve and maintain optimum health; observes that such supplements are already required to besafe and appropriately-labelled under the provisions of the Food Safety Act; congratulates Consumers for Health Choice on its campaigns to defend consumer choice in this area; rejects as disproportionate and unnecessary the setting of restrictive maximum permitted levels for nutrients in such products as proposed by the Food Supplements Directive the further implementation of which would threaten the viability of 700 independent health food retailers and cost over 4,000 jobs in this country; and urges Ministers to continue to do all that they can to resist this threat to specialist UK retailers and their customers. Thu, 17 Jan 2013 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2012-13/937 http://www.edms.org.uk/2012-13/910.htm That this House welcomes the Children, Food and Obesity consultation paper launched in January 2013 to tackle the obesity epidemic; recognises the growing need for the regulation of sugar, salt and fat content of food stuffs because of the failure of voluntary agreements with the food and drinks industry; notes that a recent survey found that 25 per cent of boys and 33 per cent of girls aged between two and 19 years are considered overweight or obese in the UK; further notes that a 30 per cent cap on sugar in cereals and a reduction of4 per cent in the sugar content in soft drinks are amongst proposals that would reduce thenumber of calories consumed by children; and calls on the Department of Health in conjunction with the Foods Standards Agency to produce a white paper to tackle the growing issue of obesity in children. Mon, 14 Jan 2013 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2012-13/910 http://www.edms.org.uk/2012-13/846.htm That this House recognises the significant and deepening problem of food poverty in communities across the UK and notes the important role that hon. Members can play in championing the issue both within Parliament and within their own constituencies; further recognises the critical role that leading food charity FareShare plays by working with the food industry and community groups to address food poverty by making good use of surplus food fit for human consumption; calls on community leaders including local councillors to show leadership on the issue and work with FareShare, hon. Members, community groups and the food industry to alleviate levels of food poverty; and further calls on responsible food businesses to recognise the important role that they can play in alleviating food poverty by working with FareShare to utilise food surpluses. Wed, 12 Dec 2012 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2012-13/846 http://www.edms.org.uk/2012-13/824.htm That this House congratulates the supermarket company Tesco, in partnership with charitable organisations the Trussell Trust and FareShare, who support almost 1,000 food banks and local community initiatives between them, for organising a two-day donation scheme whereby customers could give non-perishable food to be passed to those in need; notes that this is the largest food collection ever undertaken in the UK, with donated food valued at almost 2 million including approximately 600,000 worth of goods donated by Tesco; applauds staff and volunteers for operating the donation scheme in more than 800 Tesco stores; and thanks those customers who generously considered the needs of those less fortunate than themselves to assist the Trussell Trust which has nearly 300 foodbanks and FareShare which supports more than 700 charities and community projects. Wed, 05 Dec 2012 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2012-13/824 http://www.edms.org.uk/2012-13/807.htm That this House congratulates the Dairy Council in staging the 2012 Ceremony of the Christmas Cheeses, which forms the beginning of the Chelsea pensioners' traditional Christmas celebrations; further congratulates in-pensioner, William Cantwell, who had the honour of cutting the cheese at this historic ceremony; notes that dairy products are a calcium-rich food for people of all ages as part of a balanced diet; futher notes that a good calcium intake is especially important for older people in order to minimise bone loss, which is a normal part of the ageing process; welcomes the work of the Royal Hospital in ensuring that dairy products play an important role in the diet of the Chelsea pensioners; and calls on the Department of Health to take steps to promote the consumption of calcium-rich sources of food such as dairy products. Mon, 03 Dec 2012 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2012-13/807 http://www.edms.org.uk/2012-13/654.htm That this House welcomes the move towards a comprehensive front-of-pack food labelling system; recognises the need to provide clear and consistent advice to consumers about their dietary choices; further recognises that the proposed labelling system should remove confusion; notes that small changes to diets can have a big impact on an individual's health; further notes that obesity is closely linked to the spiralling numbers of people developing Type 2 diabetes; and calls on the Government to make health warnings compulsory on products that contain over 50 per cent of an individual's guideline daily amounts per portion in either calories, fats, sugaror salt. Tue, 30 Oct 2012 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2012-13/654 http://www.edms.org.uk/2012-13/634.htm That this House congratulates the Food Bank on the good work that it does right across the UK; and requests that the Government takes all steps to assist the Food Bank and those who can assist by contributing to their effort to feed those who cannot feed themselves. Wed, 24 Oct 2012 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2012-13/634 http://www.edms.org.uk/2012-13/557.htm That this House views with grave concern the massive increase in food aid to impoverished families in Bradford, increased by more than six times in two years; notes that more than 37,000 youngsters are living below the breadline and that in some wards in the city 68 per cent of children are living inpoverty; commends Bradford Metropolitan Food Aid and the Citizens' Advice Centre for their efforts to provide essential food parcels; and calls on the Government to reverse the benefits cuts which have brought about this penury and to guarantee that in 2012 no child in this country will go hungry. Mon, 15 Oct 2012 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2012-13/557 http://www.edms.org.uk/2012-13/563.htm That this House deplores the profiteering by cinema chains in the provision of catering to their customers where the prices of sweets, drinks and ice creams in the foyers are many times those on the high street; notes that this particularly affects families with young children at whom much of the merchandising is aimed; calls on cinemas to stop exploiting their customers by insisting that the stalls and franchises inside their buildings reduce their prices to a level commensurate with local shops and restaurants; and congratulates the cinema goers who are campaigning for fair prices. Mon, 15 Oct 2012 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2012-13/563 http://www.edms.org.uk/2012-13/578.htm That this House notes Gaby Scanlon aged 18 from Heysham drank a cocktail containing liquid nitrogen on 4 October at Oscars Bar in Lancaster; further notes that as a result of the drink she was rushed to hospital and had emergency surgery to remove her stomach; believes that this is evidence that these drinks are dangerous; further believes that the Foods Standards Agency is right to warn the public against liquid nitrogen drinks; and calls on the Government to ban the sale of drinks containing liquid nitrogen. Mon, 15 Oct 2012 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2012-13/578 http://www.edms.org.uk/2012-13/474.htm That this House notes that the Redwell Inn had been a popular country inn since the 17th century but had fallen into disrepair; further notes that in July 2010 it was bought and refurbished by Dennis Talbot, Susan Talbot, Robert Talbot and Kelly Thornton; commends them for operating a smokehouse to smoke fish from local fishermen; further commends their commitment to local food production in both the Redwell Inn and its shop; believes that local produce is vital to the economy of the Lune Valley and throughout Lancashire; further believes that the Talbot family serve as an example to others and that high quality local produce makes for a vibrant business; and thanks them on behalf of the people of Lancashire for the important work they do. Tue, 04 Sep 2012 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2012-13/474 http://www.edms.org.uk/2012-13/307.htm That this House notes that the recently published minutes of the 30 April 2012 meeting of the EU Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health record that many Member States are pressing the European Commission to bring forward the setting of maximum permitted levels for vitamins and minerals in food supplements; recalls that on every previous occasion this project has been commenced it has threatened the continued availability of many safe and popular food supplements used by millions of British consumers to help them achieve and maintain good health; observes that such products are already regulated by the Food Safety Act and that no further legislation is necessary; further notes that successive Governments have robustly resisted such moves to restrict consumer choice and have so defended the interests of specialist manufacturers and retailers; and invites the Secretary of State to reassure the House that he, his Ministers and his officials will do all within their power to prevent such unnecessary and burdensome meddling in British markets. Tue, 03 Jul 2012 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2012-13/307 http://www.edms.org.uk/2012-13/238.htm That this House notes that there has been a loophole in the system for many years damaging the prospects of young people at Harlow College with an estimate of at least 350 students in severe need of free school meals but no funding for this; further notes that this has left students hungry and unable to work to their full potential, leaving their education at serious risk; believes there is a need for schools to share data on who needs free school meals with colleges; and calls on the Government to extend free school meals funding to students at Harlow College and other education establishments. Wed, 20 Jun 2012 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2012-13/238 http://www.edms.org.uk/2012-13/212.htm That this House welcomes the proposals by Mayor Bloomberg of New York City to ban supersize fizzy drinks; notes that obesity is a key factor in causing type 2 diabetes which affects 3.4 million peoplein the UK; further notes that 24 per cent of UK men and 22 per cent of UK women are obese; is alarmed that the cost of diabetes to the NHS is now 10 billion per year; and callson the Government to limit portion sizes of unhealthy foods to tackle the twin diabetes and obesity epidemics. Mon, 18 Jun 2012 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2012-13/212 http://www.edms.org.uk/2012-13/220.htm That this House supports co-operatives and marketing groups representing livestock producers; deplores moves that undermine them by abattoirs and large meat processors which would result in the marginalisation of traditional farming families, leaving them without adequate representation in the market; and is concerned by moves to impose direct payments to farmers, fundamentally changing the basis of the supply chain in favour of abattoirs and meat processors, potentially rendering smaller family farms financially unviable, thus having a devastating impact on the whole farming community and rural infrastructure. Mon, 18 Jun 2012 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2012-13/220 http://www.edms.org.uk/2012-13/152.htm That this House is gravely concerned by aid agencies' warnings that 10 million Yemenis, 44 per cent of the population, are undernourished and that five million require emergency aid; notes that malnutrition rates have doubled in Yemen since 2009; welcomes the 28 million aid pledged by the Government; regrets that the UN humanitarian aid appeal for Yemen is facing a 166 million shortfall in funding contributions; and urges the Government to work with other nations to ensure that this shortfall is met. Mon, 11 Jun 2012 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2012-13/152 http://www.edms.org.uk/2012-13/125.htm That this House notes that the Chancellor of the Exchequer has permitted only six weeks for consultation on his proposal to imposeVAT on many sports nutrition drinks and that those weeks included two bank holidays and the Easter recess, contrary to the Government's Code of Practice on Consultation which requires 12 weeks; observes that the impact assessment accompanying the consultation wrongly describes the 20 per cent VAT rate as a small increase in price; regrets that this move will push up prices for such products and damage small, specialist manufacturers, will have a negative impact upon jobs and growth, undermine consumer safety by driving customers to source products from less reputable overseas mail order and internet suppliers and, in the year of the London Olympics, send out the wrong message about the importance of sport and exercise in improving public health; further observes that HM Revenue and Customs has also failed to take into account the reduced UK tax revenues associated with a switch to offshore sourcing and the reduction in wider UK tax revenues from the sector as sales reduce, profits fall and employment is affected; considers the move to be bizarre when milkshakes, drinking chocolate and Jaffa cakes continue to be zero-rated; and urges the Chancellor to think again. Wed, 23 May 2012 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2012-13/125 http://www.edms.org.uk/2012-13/85.htm That this House recognises that people with coeliac disease have an autoimmune disease for which the only treatment is a lifelong adherence to a gluten-free diet; considers that for many of those diagnosed, eating out is a continuous challenge; urges those in the hospitality industry to reap the benefits of this market by providing safe, gluten-free options on menus; and commends and supports Coeliac UK for its Gluten-free Challenge campaign which aims to make eating out possible for all people with the condition, to significantly improve their quality of life and create understanding of coeliac disease. Thu, 17 May 2012 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2012-13/85 http://www.edms.org.uk/2012-13/72.htm That this House welcomes the Government's UK-wide consultation on labelling the nutritional content of food; notes that 80 per cent of diabetes could be prevented with a healthy lifestyle; further notes that obesity and diabetes are growing problems, with diabetes increasing by 25 per cent since 2006; and calls on the Government to ensure that food labelling is not only consistent but eye-catching and simple to understand, as for instance with the traffic light system. Wed, 16 May 2012 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2012-13/72 http://www.edms.org.uk/2012-13/40.htm That this House notes with concern that eggs continue to be produced in illegal conventional battery cages in some EU member states; is concerned that food products in the UK market may contain illegally-produced eggs; believes that the Regulation that requires packs of shell eggs to be labelled as to the production method should be extended to egg ingredients in order to enable consumers to make informed choices; further notes that 86 per cent of UK respondents in a recent poll were in favour of such a move; supports the work of Four Paws and other organisations on this issue; and calls on the Government to press for the introduction of compulsory labelling of all food products containing egg to indicate the production system used. Wed, 09 May 2012 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2012-13/40 http://www.edms.org.uk/2010-12/3004.htm That this House notes with concern the current Consumer Association investigation into bacteria levels in UK supermarket chickens; is concerned that the evidence suggests that 18 per cent of the sample of chickens taken in the survey were contaminated with campylobacter bacteria; and calls for urgent action by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairsto tackle this health hazard, in partnership with the Food Standards Agency, and introduce the necessary processes to eliminate this serious potential source of food poisoning. Tue, 24 Apr 2012 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2010-12/3004 http://www.edms.org.uk/2010-12/3006.htm That this House celebrates the nomination of Harlow Foodbank for the 2012 DODS Local Charity of the Year Award, and urges every hon. Member to vote for them; commends Harlow Foodbank for supporting individuals and families in crisis by providing free emergency food; further notes that since 2009 it has provided food to over 5,000 people; welcomes what the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has done to allow jobcentres to give this foodbank vouchers; and recognises the work of Harlow Foodbank in really making a difference to people's lives in Harlow, as a lifeline to people who are going through a period of difficulty or crisis in their life. Tue, 24 Apr 2012 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2010-12/3006 http://www.edms.org.uk/2010-12/2958.htm That this House notes that the Chancellor of the Exchequer has permitted only six weeks for consultation on his proposal to impose Value Added Tax on many sports nutrition drinks and that those weeks included two bank holidays and the Easter recess, contrary to the Government's Code of Practice on Consultation which requires 12 weeks; observes that the impact assessment accompanying the consultation wrongly describes the 20 per cent VAT rate as a small increase in price; regrets that this move will push up prices for such products and damage small, specialist manufacturers, will have a negative impact upon jobs and growth, undermine consumer safety by driving customers to source products from less reputable overseas mail order and internet suppliers and, in the year of the London Olympics, send out the wrong messages about the importance of sport and exercise in improving public health; further observes that HM Revenue and Customs has also failed to take into account the reduced UK tax revenues associated with a switch to off-shore sourcing and the reduction in wider UK tax revenues from the sector as sales reduce, profits fall and employment is affected; considers the move to be bizarre when milkshakes, drinking chocolate and jaffa cakes continue to be zero-rated; and urges the Chancellor to think again. Tue, 17 Apr 2012 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2010-12/2958 http://www.edms.org.uk/2010-12/2950.htm That this House notes with concern that eggs continue to be produced in illegal conventional battery cages in some EU member states; is concerned that food products in the UK market may contain illegally-produced eggs; believes that the Regulation that requires packs of shell eggs to be labelled as to the production method should be extended to egg ingredients in order to enable consumers to make informed choices; further notes that 86 per cent of UK respondents in a recent poll were in favour of sucha move; supports the work of Four Paws and other organisations on this issue; and calls on the Government to press for the introduction of compulsory labelling of all food products containing egg to indicate the production system used. Mon, 16 Apr 2012 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2010-12/2950 http://www.edms.org.uk/2010-12/2952.htm That this House notes the damaging impact on the North East-based Greggs business and other companies of the decision to impose standard rate VAT on freshly baked food; believes that a one-fifth increase in the prices of their products will deter customers, further reduce economic activity and reduce working hours and jobs, and may also undermine the good work of the Greggs Foundation which funds breakfast clubs and youth groups; further believes that it will needlessly create new anomalies, enforcement difficulties and potential litigation and undermine high street regeneration; warmly welcomes the petition on the issue organised by the National Association of Master Bakers and Greggs, which has won over 200,000 signatures; and urges the Government to use the statutory consultation period to listen carefully to the industry and negotiate a fair deal for all concerned. Mon, 16 Apr 2012 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2010-12/2952 http://www.edms.org.uk/2010-12/2917.htm That this House notes with concern the Chancellor's proposals to add VAT to hot takeaway food from bakeries and supermarkets, including the humble Cornish pasty; further notes that thousands of people are employed in thepasty industry in Cornwall, which is worth millions of pounds to the Cornish economy; believes that adding 20 per cent VAT to the price of a pasty will undermine the industry and lead to a drop in sales and local job losses; and calls on the Government to exempt those foods which have significantly advanced Protected Geographical Indication status in Europe, like Cornwall's favourite food, from this proposal. Mon, 26 Mar 2012 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2010-12/2917 http://www.edms.org.uk/2010-12/2916.htm That this House notes the observation of a manager of a Tesco Express store, that Tesco has no policy of selling food moving towards the end of its shelf life at a reduced price or of passing such food to charities; calls on Tesco to review this policy; requests that supermarkets and food stores generally adopt practices which allow an acceptable use of food which is currently wasted; and asks the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to consult the retail trade on ways in which a more socially and economically acceptable outcome to this waste of food by the big retailers could bebrought about. Fri, 23 Mar 2012 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2010-12/2916 http://www.edms.org.uk/2010-12/2854.htm That this House recognises the impact of unhealthy eating and obesity on children's health and well-being; expresses its concern that academies and free schools opened since September 2010 are not required to adhere to the mandatory standards for school food; welcomes the joint Jamie Oliver Children's Food Campaign, Food for Life Partnership, LACA andSchool Food Matters Save Our School Food Standards campaign; and calls on the Secretary of State to amend the Education (Nutritional Standards and Requirements for School Food) (England) Regulations 2007 to require academies and free schools to adhere to the standards for school food so that the one million children now attending these schools can benefit from this commitment to their health and well-being. Mon, 12 Mar 2012 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2010-12/2854 http://www.edms.org.uk/2010-12/2700.htm That this House is concerned that one in five students leaving primary school are now obese and that consumption of sugar has tripled worldwide over the past 50 years; notes that obesity is a key factor in causing type-2 diabetes which affects 2.5 million people in the UK; further notes the research from the University of California saying major shifts in policy are needed to control soaring consumption of sugar and sweeteners; and calls on the Government to introduce a tax on food and drink with high levels of added sugar with profits going to diabetes research. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2010-12/2700 http://www.edms.org.uk/2010-12/2602.htm That this House congratulates Kelloggs for its support of foodbanks around the UK; notes that in 2011, Kelloggs supported foodbanks across the UK with 25 tonnes of food, equating to approximately 800,000 breakfasts and cereal bars; celebrates the commitment from Kelloggs to double this amount in 2012; gives particular thanks to Kelloggs for the donation of 500 and cereal boxes to Harlow foodbank and further notes Kelloggs' commitment to continue a close relationship; and welcomes Kelloggs' support for the Big Society and particularly their support for organisations like foodbanks who do so much for those in need. Mon, 16 Jan 2012 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2010-12/2602 http://www.edms.org.uk/2010-12/2537.htm That this House congratulates the House of Commons chefs' football team on successfully retaining The State Opening Challenge Cup after a hard fought 2-2 draw against hon. Members on15 November 2011; recognises and appreciates the team's kind offer of donating a trophy in remembrance of Alan Keen, the late Member for Feltham and Heston; and would like to take this opportunity to thank the chefs for their continued hard work, dedication and professionalism in delivering the superb services they provide to all users of the facilities on the parliamentary estate. Tue, 13 Dec 2011 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2010-12/2537 http://www.edms.org.uk/2010-12/2521.htm That this House congratulates the Dairy Council in staging the 2011 Ceremony of the Christmas Cheeses, which forms the beginning of the Chelsea Pensioners' traditional Christmas celebrations; further congratulates in-pensioner, Norman Mitchell, the oldest Chelsea Pensioner, who had the honour of cutting the cheese at this historic ceremony; notes that dairy products are a calcium-rich food for people of all ages as part of a balanced diet; further notes that a good calcium intake is especially important for older people in order to minimise bone loss, which is a normal part of the ageing process; welcomes the work of the Royal Hospital in ensuring that dairy products play an important role in the diet of the Chelsea Pensioners; and calls on the Department of Health to take steps to promote the consumption of calcium-rich sources of food such as dairy products. Wed, 07 Dec 2011 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2010-12/2521 http://www.edms.org.uk/2010-12/2507.htm That this House welcomes the Countryside Alliance Foundations's report, Honest, Fair, Simple, which calls for mandatory country of origin labelling of all meat products where meat constitutes 10 per cent. or more ofthe product, and for single country labels to mean that the animal was born reared and slaughtered in that country; and believes that this will leave the playing field for British farmers and enable British consumers to make informed choices in support of home-produced food which is produced to the highest standards of animal welfare, health and safety and environmental protection. Mon, 05 Dec 2011 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2010-12/2507 http://www.edms.org.uk/2010-12/2490.htm That this House regrets that the victims of the failed Christmas hamper and savings company Farepak have not yet received compensation following the company's liquidation in October 2006; notes that the company's administrators, BDO, have announced that the cost of winding up the company has reached 8.2 million to date; further notes that this figure far exceeds the current level of compensation agreed for victims, which stands at 5.53 million; and calls on the Government to ensure that all those who have lost out to Farepak are compensated for their losses and to consider the more strict regulation of the prepayment industry. Tue, 29 Nov 2011 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2010-12/2490 http://www.edms.org.uk/2010-12/2409A1.htm leave out from `Campaign' to end and add `which will help to publicise Britain's worst animal cruelty secret; regrets the indifference to animal suffering that subjects 40 million birds annually to inhumane battery cages that breed enfeebled birds who cannot protect themselves from weather exposure or road traffic resulting in most of them dying before they face the guns; and believes that these foul practices can be challenged only if diners reject game and thus avoid cruelty on a plate.'. Thu, 10 Nov 2011 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2010-12/2409A1 http://www.edms.org.uk/2010-12/2409.htm That this House welcomes the Game to Eat Campaign initiated by the British Association for Shooting and Conservation and Countryside Alliance; and encourages the general public to eat more game recognising that it is nutritious and healthy food and can be a tasty part of a balanced healthydiet. Wed, 09 Nov 2011 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2010-12/2409 http://www.edms.org.uk/2010-12/2219.htm That this House congratulates the Hairy Bikers'television campaign to reform the Meals on Wheels service and to recruit more volunteers for the Meals on Wheels service; applauds the valuable work undertaken by the Meals on Wheels service for the most vulnerable in society; notes that councils are cutting subsidies to the Meals on Wheels service; further notes that many of the users of the service cannot afford to pay the resulting increased prices; calls on the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government to protect the subsidies for the Meals on Wheels service and to encourage more volunteers across the country to take part in the scheme. Mon, 10 Oct 2011 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2010-12/2219 http://www.edms.org.uk/2010-12/2177.htm That this House recognises the need to support consumers in making healthy choices about what they eat; regrets that the European Parliament has missed the opportunity to introduce a mandatory front-of-package traffic light food-labelling system during the negotiations on the Food Information to Consumers regulations; further recognises that independent research identifies a hybrid system of labelling including traffic light colours as the most effective label for UK consumers; and calls on the Government to follow the recommendation made by the House ofLords Science and Technology Committee Report on Behaviour Changes and recommend a traffic light system of front-of-pack labelling on all food packaging. Wed, 14 Sep 2011 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2010-12/2177 http://www.edms.org.uk/2010-12/1998.htm That this House notes that some consumer product labels do not declare that animals have been involved in the production of the product; furthernotes the specific example of buttons made from cow horns, as featured in the BBC documentary Kill It, Cut It, Use It; and calls on the Government to introduce regulations to improve the transparency of product labelling by ensuring that producers must fully disclose whether their products contain animal-related ingredients or by-products, which will enable consumers to make more informed purchase decisions. Mon, 27 Jun 2011 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2010-12/1998 http://www.edms.org.uk/2010-12/1988.htm That this House notes with concern that Government data indicate that 74.5 per cent. of the UK population consumes less than the EU recommended daily allowance of five micrograms of vitamin D andis therefore at significant risk of deficiency; further notes that the public health implications for children, the elderly, and certain other population groups including peoples of African, Caribbean and South Asian origin are substantial; and calls on the Government to set clear and appropriate levels for vitamin D supplementation in all age and population groups, to communicate the risks of deficiency and benefits of supplementation more effectively to the general public and provide clear messages on risk and benefits for use by all health partnerships. Thu, 23 Jun 2011 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2010-12/1988 http://www.edms.org.uk/2010-12/1778.htm That this House welcomes the strong support for allotments made by the Prime Minister during Prime Minister's Questions on 4 May 2011; acknowledges with approval his endorsement of the valuable role which allotments play in the life of the country, both in terms of leisure and growing produce; notes that there are currently around 300,000 allotment plots in England but recognises that there is a serious shortage with an estimated 100,000 people on waiting lists; congratulates the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners and the grow-your-own community organisation Landshare for raising the profile of allotments and highlighting possible threats to the future of this distinctive English way of life, and also praises The Independent on Sunday newspaper for its Dig for Victory campaign on behalf of allotment holders; and urges the Government to uphold the Smallholdings and Allotment Act 1908 which requires local authorities in England and Wales to provide sufficient plots for residents. Wed, 04 May 2011 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2010-12/1778 http://www.edms.org.uk/2010-12/1763.htm That this House notes that under the Small Holdings and Allotments Act 1908, a local authority has a statutory duty to provide a sufficient number of allotment plots to meet demand; further notes that under this legislation, should allotments be lost due to the development of that land, local authorities must provide an equal amount of land for use as allotments in its place; further notes that the Allotment Act 1908 has been included in the recent list of legislation to be reviewed; further notes that, despite this clear statutory obligation, the long and rapidly increasing waiting lists for allotments clearly show that local authorities are not discharging this duty; and therefore calls on the Government not to abandon the legislation but instead to ensure that it is properly enforced. Wed, 27 Apr 2011 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2010-12/1763 http://www.edms.org.uk/2010-12/1701.htm That this House notes the Government's commitment to spending 11.1 billion towards ensuring global food security and to stimulate sustainable agricultural development at the 2009 L'Aquila G8 Summit; is concerned with rising food prices and the plight of smallholder and specifically marginal farmers; and calls on the Government to make these funds directly available to those who need them most - marginal farmers. Fri, 01 Apr 2011 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2010-12/1701 http://www.edms.org.uk/2010-12/1602.htm That this House condemns the exploitation of farmers and producers across the world by companies who paybelow cost for goods produced by those who are already in poverty; celebrates the success of the Fairtrade Foundation and the Fairtrade label in tackling this exploitation by promoting ethical purchasing and trade justice for farmers and producers in developing countries; is deeply concerned about unfair trade within the UK food market especially in the dairy sector; and calls for the establishment of a domestic fair trade classification to enable UK farmers to be protected from exploitation by large corporations such as supermarkets. Tue, 15 Mar 2011 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2010-12/1602 http://www.edms.org.uk/2010-12/1583.htm That this House recognises the need for families to be able to eat together more often; notes the health, learning and social benefits that family mealtimes can bring, including the early findings of the Economic and SocialResearch CouncilUnderstanding Society study pointing to the importance of family meals for children; further notes recent research that shows the difficulties that families have eating together; congratulates the recentPower Down for Dinner campaign launched to encourage mealtimes spent as a family and a decrease in mealtimes spent using technology and television; and urges a more family-friendly House and encourages individual hon. Members to allow for more time to be spent with their families at mealtimes. Thu, 10 Mar 2011 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2010-12/1583 http://www.edms.org.uk/2010-12/1526.htm That this House congratulates CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale, on reaching their 40th anniversary this year; notes that CAMRA now has over 120,000 individual consumer members; believes that the size of their membership illustrates the continued and growing importance of real ale and well-run pubs within our communities; welcomes their work in speaking up for community pubs, small brewers and consumer rights; and hopes that their success continues. Thu, 03 Mar 2011 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2010-12/1526 http://www.edms.org.uk/2010-12/1488.htm That this House notes that health and safety in the food industry is important for the workforce and the consumer; believes that working with hot ovens in baking premises can be hazardous due to the heat levels involved which can cause stress, irritability, heat cramps and strain on the heart and lungs; further believes that there should be a maximum workplace temperature at which companies would have to take measures to make working more tolerable; further notes that this is not the only hazard facing workers in the food industry; further notes that Lord Young's review of health and safety recommended a consultation on the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations; further believes that this should be an opportunity to improve health and safety in the workplace rather than allow companies to downgrade their obligations to their workforces; further notes that bakers' asthma remains a danger for many in the food industry; and calls on the Government to ensure that the Health and Safety Executive is properly resourced to maintain and improve health and safety in the workplace. Mon, 28 Feb 2011 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2010-12/1488 http://www.edms.org.uk/2010-12/1452.htm That this House welcomes the principle of introducing Government Buying Standards to bring about much needed improvements to the health, ethics and environmental sustainability of public sector food and to stimulate much needed economic growth in local economies; further welcomes the comments from the National Farmers Union that buying Farm Assured food under Government Buying Standards will provide a significant boost for British farmers; is concerned that the standards will apply to only one-third of the public sector; and calls on the Government to extend Government Buying Standards to cover all public institutions including schools, hospitals and care homes. Mon, 14 Feb 2011 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2010-12/1452 http://www.edms.org.uk/2010-12/1405.htm That this House expresses its concerns about the impact upon small- and medium-sized abattoirs in Wales of Food Standards Agency plans for full cost recovery of meat hygiene controls at slaughterhouses which farmers unions in Wales warn may close as a result of these charges; notes the estimate that over 50 per cent. of cattle, 70 per cent. of sheep, 25 per cent. of pigs and 40 per cent. of poultry are slaughtered in independent, small- and medium-sized plants; remembers the key role played by small- and medium-sized abattoirs in the 2001 foot-and-mouth outbreak where local slaughterhouses reduce the risk of the disease spreading by ensuring animals did not have to travel significant distances to slaughter; supports locally reared and slaughtered meat from independent retailers which have a low number of travel miles and keeps small businesses profitable; and calls for the Food Standards Agency to re-consider these plans to raise prices for abattoirs. Fri, 04 Feb 2011 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2010-12/1405 http://www.edms.org.uk/2010-12/1358.htm That this House considers the Department for Transport's actions in managing and prioritising salt supplies by stealth whilst insisting that there is no crisis, denying that it is putting pressure on salt mines and suppliers to withhold supplies properly negotiated and ordered by some local authorities, whilst prioritising orders from other local authorities, to be disingenuous; and calls on the Department for Transport to publish immediately open and transparent details of the meetings of SALTCELL, which it considers tohave been re-named to avoid questions from hon. Members on these issues, along with details of the local authorities prioritised, and the tonnage supplied to such authorities and to take immediate steps to prioritise salt supplies to local authorities such as Durham County Council which, having learnt lessons from the previous winter, increased itssalt reserves, properly ordered appropriate levels of salt in advance, increased storage facilities, increased winter maintenance vehicles and equipment, sourced salt globally, and which still finds itself crucially short of salt due to the actions of the Departmentfor Transport. Thu, 27 Jan 2011 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2010-12/1358 http://www.edms.org.uk/2010-12/1354.htm That this House congratulates Consumers for Health Choice on its sustained campaign over many years to defend Harlow consumers and consumers across the UK's access to safe and popular higher potency vitamin and mineral food supplements; understands that the European Commission may in 2011 take forward the process of setting maximum permitted levels for nutrients in supplements under the provisions of Article 5 of the Food Supplements Directive; observes that a restrictive interpretation of this legislation could threaten the continued availability of a wide range of safe dietary supplements, lead to the closure of 700 independent health food retailers and the loss of 4,000 UK jobs; encourages Ministers to do all they can to defend safe and legal products currently on the UK market by engaging robustly with commissioners and officials of the EU and by building alliances with other member state governments; reinforces its implacable opposition to the setting of unnecessary restrictive maximum permitted levels for nutrients in such supplements; and reaffirmsits view that the rights of consumers to access safe products of their choice should not be sacrificed on the alter of market harmonisation. Wed, 26 Jan 2011 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2010-12/1354 http://www.edms.org.uk/2010-12/1342.htm That this House notes with concern the exploitative child labour and trafficking of children that take place in the cocoa industry; supports the role of Fairtrade cocoa as traceable to the source farm and method that ensures children have not been trafficked; recognises the petition signed by 150 children at Judgemeadow Community College in Leicester East calling for an end to the trafficking of children for cocoa farming and for chocolate manufacturers and cocoa traders to abide by Stop the Traffik's Chocolate Pledge; urges the Government to encourage manufacturers to provide full transparency in cocoa supply and to adopt a code of conduct that prevents the use of child labour and trafficked children; and calls on the Government to encourage supermarkets to purchase solely Fairtrade chocolate. Tue, 25 Jan 2011 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2010-12/1342 http://www.edms.org.uk/2010-12/1297.htm That this House welcomes the significant progress already made by food and drink manufacturers in reducing the environmental impact of their operations, as set out in the third annual report of member company achievements under the Food and and Drink Federation's Five-fold Environmental Ambition published on 8 December 2010; notes that the original resource efficiency targets have been updated to take account of this and to respond to its policy developments since the programme's launch in 2007; and further notes and applauds the decision to extend the scope of the Ambition to include impacts across the supply chain to help deliver sustainability in all aspects of production and consumption, reinforcing the message that good environmental practice makes good business sense and that a vibrant and competitive UK food industry has a key role to play in economic recovery and the transition to low carbon growth through innovation and the development of new skills and job opportunities in an area vital to meeting the future challenges of food security and climate change. Tue, 18 Jan 2011 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2010-12/1297 http://www.edms.org.uk/2010-12/1154.htm That this House congratulates the Dairy Council in staging the 2010 Ceremony of the Christmas Cheeses, marking the Ceremony's 51st anniversary, which forms the beginning of the Chelsea Pensioners' traditional Christmas celebrations; further congratulates 81 year old Chelsea Pensioner and former prisoner of war, Patrick Brady, who was given the honour of cutting the cheese at this historic occasion; notes that dairy products are a calcium-rich food for people of all ages which is especially important for older people in order to minimise bone loss; and welcomes the work of the Royal Hospital in ensuring that dairy products play an important role in the diet of the Chelsea Pensioners. Tue, 07 Dec 2010 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2010-12/1154 http://www.edms.org.uk/2010-12/1108.htm That this House welcomes the publication of new guiding principles on country of origin labelling for food; congratulates the companies that have signed up to the principles including Asda, The Co-operative Group, Marks and Spencer, Morrisons, Sainsbury's, Tesco and Waitrose; recognises the importance of clear and accurate information on the origin of food; further congratulates the Minister for Agriculture and Food, the British Retail Consortium and the Food and Drink Federation on the development of these principles; and encouragesothers in the food industry to commit to follow these principles to further aid consumer understanding of the origin of the food they buy. Tue, 30 Nov 2010 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2010-12/1108 http://www.edms.org.uk/2010-12/1015.htm That this House is concerned over recent food price volatility and inflation; expresses its sympathy with those affected by food price spikes in 2008 and 2010 especially some of the world's poorest people; notes reports this year by the World Bank, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food and the World Development Movement that show how deregulated speculation on commodity derivatives drives food price spikes and crashes with devastating consequences including malnutrition and starvation; and calls on the Government to support changes to the EU's Markets in Financial Instruments Directive to move over-the-counter derivatives trades onto centrally-cleared exchanges, and to impose position limits on market participants, so as to reduce price volatility and systemic risk. Tue, 16 Nov 2010 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2010-12/1015 http://www.edms.org.uk/2010-12/865.htm That this House congratulates the Food for Life Partnership on its recent National Roast Dinner Day in schools across the country on 29 September 2010; applauds the efforts of the Partnership and its participating schools and communities on their commitment to inspiring children and families to use and enjoy local and seasonal food; recognises the importance of such efforts towards social, educational and health benefits, for example noted improvements in children's behaviour and contributions to the fight against diabetes; and calls on the Government to support such programmes for the future health and wellbeing of schoolchildren. Wed, 20 Oct 2010 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2010-12/865 http://www.edms.org.uk/2010-12/857.htm That this House expresses concern about recent statistics showing that UK production of foodstuffs has fallen to 59 per cent.; and calls on the Government to take steps to increase total food production in the UK so that it is not dependent on food imports. Tue, 19 Oct 2010 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2010-12/857 http://www.edms.org.uk/2010-12/830A1.htm leave out `Britain' and insert `the UK'. Mon, 18 Oct 2010 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2010-12/830A1 http://www.edms.org.uk/2010-12/830A2.htm leave out `Britain' and insert `the UK'. Mon, 18 Oct 2010 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2010-12/830A2 http://www.edms.org.uk/2010-12/830.htm That this House commends the work done by members of the Women's Institute Federation in highlighting the need for the introduction of measures to introduce clear country of origin labelling in the UK for all fresh meat and meat and fish processed products; believes that such identification is important to enable consumers to identify easilyindividual food stuff's origins, together with any key ingredients within them; is aware that at present in Britain origin labelling laws are woefully inadequate, as it is only required if a failure to do so would mislead customers, and thatthe present legal definition of any food's origins can be at the very least disingenuous as many unfinished products can and are sourced into the UK food industries then later carry a Made in Britain logo; and calls on the Government to recognise the seriousness of such shortcomings which can cloud and hide shoppers' legitimate concerns about animal welfare, food miles, sustainability and many other issues and to introduce measures to ensure shoppers can make an informed choice about products on offer. Thu, 14 Oct 2010 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2010-12/830 http://www.edms.org.uk/2010-12/815.htm That this House notes that it is vital that the entire food supply chain has the skills and business efficiency to meet the demand for food security resulting from a rising global and domestic population and the effects of climate change; is concerned that the skills needs of the food production, processing, manufacturing and retailing industries are not being recognised; calls for the value placed on these industries by the Government to match the value of their contributions to the UK economy and food supply; and further calls for future Government food strategies to recognise the importance of the entire food supply network as well as the skills gaps and shortages which need to be addressed. Tue, 12 Oct 2010 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2010-12/815 http://www.edms.org.uk/2010-12/772.htm That this House is concerned that the European Commission has so far not implemented measures called for by the EU Council in 2008 to improve genetically modified organisms (GMO) risk assessments, prevent contamination of seeds and crops and to make the body authorised to release or market a GMO liable for any harm arising from it; notes that the recent Commission proposals give member states the right to ban genetically modified (GM) crop cultivation at a national level while keeping the current authorisation system for GM at EU level; is dismayed that the Government is not pushing for its own clear GM labelling regime; and calls on the Government to clarify with the Commission whether the UK will be legally permitted to declare itself GMO-free under the new proposals and whether member states will be able to reject a GM crop that is authorised at the EU level with legal certainty. Thu, 16 Sep 2010 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2010-12/772 http://www.edms.org.uk/2010-12/711.htm That this House welcomes the Women's Institute Campaign to highlight the need to introduce clearer country of origin labelling of food products; notes that many foods do not require a country of origin label; further notes that even in processed foods where an origin is stated it normally indicates the last substantial change and not the origin of where the food was originally grown or reared; is concerned that many consumers are not receiving the information they would like in order to make fully informed decisions about their purchases; and calls on the Government to introduce a more robust food labelling systemin whichthe public can have total confidence. Thu, 09 Sep 2010 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2010-12/711 http://www.edms.org.uk/2010-12/687.htm That this House welcomes the big increase in home-grown vegetables, with seed sales up 14 per cent. last year; is pleased that the number of people wanting an allotment has increased by 20 per cent. in thepast 12 months; is concerned that according to the National Society for Allotment and Leisure Gardeners there are 100,000 people on waiting lists for an allotment; and calls on the Government, local authorities, other public bodies and private landlords to make land available for new allotments. Tue, 07 Sep 2010 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2010-12/687 http://www.edms.org.uk/2010-12/664.htm That this House welcomes the progress made by the governments of Guernsey and Jersey in addressing unfair and illegal competition in the trade in food supplements and herbal remedies from the Channel Islands; hopes that priority will now be given by the Islands' governments to the implementation and enforcement of the Food Supplements Directive, the Nutrition and Health Claim Regulation and the Medicines Directive; further welcomes the assurances given by those governments that they will fully implement that legislation; further hopes that the new UK Government will continue to engage in addressing these issues and will provide the Channel Islands' governments with support and practical assistance; remains concerned that businesses from the Channel Islands continue to market directly to the UK mainland products which contain illegal ingredients or which are promoted using illegal claims thus jeopardising consumer safety; observes that this situation will not be resolved as long as the required food legislation is not fully implemented and enforced in either Guernsey or Jersey; and calls on the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, Food Standards Agency, Royal Mail, Advertising Standards Authority, and trading standards officers to continue actively to engage with the authorities in the Channel Islands to secure the effective implementation of the necessary legislation without further delay. Mon, 06 Sep 2010 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2010-12/664 http://www.edms.org.uk/2010-12/669.htm That this House acknowledges UN figures which suggest that meat production is responsible for approximately 18 per cent. of global carbon emissions; further acknowledges that methane, emitted by cows and pigs, is 23 times more powerful than carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas; recognises that across the UK 1 million tonnes of beef, 1.3 million tonnes of pork and 1.8 million tonnes of poultry are consumed every year; further recognises that this level of meat consumption is detrimental to the health of the nation and increasingly to the public purse; further recognises that global meat production is forecast to almost double to 456 million tonnes in 2050 compared to 2001 levels; believes that current meat consumption levels are unsustainable if the Climate Change Act 2008 is to be successfully implemented tohelp the UK fight against climate change; calls for a shift towards less meat-oriented diets nationally; further recognises that Meat-Free Mondays would help to promote this; and furtherbelieves that Parliament should set an example by supporting Meat-Free Mondays in all cafeterias in the Houses of Parliament. Mon, 06 Sep 2010 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2010-12/669 http://www.edms.org.uk/2010-12/631.htm That this House notes the negative impact of below-cost selling in the food industry on a whole range of issues, from employment conditions and consumer choice to animal welfare and the maintenance of the UK producer base; is concerned at retailers demanding high levels of discounting disproportionate to production costs and attempting to shift costs to manufacturers and growers both locally and internationally; and therefore supports the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union, representing many of those working in the food industry in the UK, in its call for greater regulation to tackle the unfair advantages of big retailers in order to protect employment conditions within the food industry and the diversity of small manufacturers and producers. Mon, 26 Jul 2010 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2010-12/631 http://www.edms.org.uk/2010-12/515.htm That this House expresses concern at the recent European Parliament decision to reject a mandatory front-of-package traffic-light food-labelling system in favour of a per cent. guideline daily amounts system, against consumer wishes; recognises that independent research identifies the traffic-light system as the simplest and most informative way for consumers to assess the nutritional value of their foods and that it has been endorsed by the British Medical Association, the consumer magazine Which? and the British Heart Foundation; notes that as such the traffic-light system provides a critical tool to encourage healthier eating habits as concerns grow about obesity-related illness and deaths in the UK; stresses that elected officials should represent the best interests of the people above all else, protecting them from the lobbying tactics of profit-driven organisations; and calls on the European Parliament to revisit this decision regarding food-labelling regulations. Thu, 15 Jul 2010 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2010-12/515 http://www.edms.org.uk/2010-12/530.htm That this House calls for the improvement of public sector food; believes that legal health, environmental and social standards for the 2 billion of public sector food purchased each year could transform the way that food is purchased and consumed in the UK; believes food served in schools, hospitals, care homes, national and local government, the armed forces and all other public organisations throughout the country paid for by tax payers should be good for people's health and should solve rather than create environmental and social problems; calculates that significant benefits would be achieved by introducing legal standards for better public sector food, including tackling diet-related ill health and climate change caused by the food system investing public money in local economies, rural communities and the best of British farming, creating a sustainable future for endangered seafood and supporting the best of the British fishing industry and protecting the welfare of animals in the food system; and therefore supports in principle the Public Bodies (Sustainable Food) Bill which seeks the statutory introduction of health, environmental and social standards included in a Code for Sustainable Food. Thu, 15 Jul 2010 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2010-12/530 http://www.edms.org.uk/2010-12/367.htm That this House notes that global livestock and animal feed production is currently the most significant worldwide cause of biodiversity loss, with the large-scale conversion of forests and other valuable habitats to produce animal feeds a cause of particular concern; further notes that the sector contributes 18 per cent. of global greenhouse gas emissions and also has impacts on small farms and communities in developing countries who are often forced off their land; congratulates the pioneering farmers in the UK who produce livestock and dairy products using sustainably-produced home-grown feed crops and wildlife-rich pasture, which reduces these damaging impacts and has employment, landscape and biodiversity benefits for the UK, but recognises that many British farmers find current policies and market structures a barrier; and so welcomes the Sustainable Livestock Bill which calls on the Government to produce a strategy that assesses the impacts the livestock sector has on the environment, sets out the policy changes needed to reduce them, ensures problems are not simply moved overseas, and supports a sustainable and thriving UK farming industry. Wed, 30 Jun 2010 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2010-12/367 http://www.edms.org.uk/2010-12/146.htm That this House notes the setting of maximum permitted levels for vitamins and minerals in food supplements under the provisions of Article 5 of the Food Supplements Directive remains work in progress on the part of the European Commission; observes that millions of United Kingdom consumers have registered with their Members of Parliament their deep concern about the threat to the continued availability of many safe and popular higher potency supplements; further notes that industry has calculated that a restrictive interpretation of the legislation could lead to the closure of 700 health food stores and the loss of 4,000 jobs in the sector; further notes that the policy of the Conservative Party in the run up to the General Election was firm opposition to this measure and that of the Liberal Democrat Shadow Secretary of State was strong support for the freedom of consumers to choose; and looks to the Ministers of the new Coalition Government to honour the commitments of their parties and ensure that no food supplements are removed from the UK market as a result of this burdensome measure. Thu, 03 Jun 2010 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2010-12/146 http://www.edms.org.uk/2010-12/151.htm That this House notes that 1.6 million people in the UK are affected by eating disorders; further notes that an increasing body of research indicates that the media has a role in providing a social context for both the development and maintenance of eating disorders; further notes that the Royal College of Psychiatrists suggests that the irresponsible use of digital enhancement or airbrushing is one aspect of this problem; urges the Government to establish a forum for the development of an editorial ethical code regarding the media's portrayal of body critical issues and the Committee on Advertising Practice to introduce a kitemark scheme to declare the extent to which digital retouching technology has been used to create overly-perfected and unrealistic images of women and men, as suggested by the Royal College; and supports the promotion of media literacy within schools as outlined by the eating disorders charity Beat in its new manifesto. Thu, 03 Jun 2010 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2010-12/151 http://www.edms.org.uk/2009-10/1232.htm That this House condemns the long distance transport of horses for slaughter at abattoirs in other EU countries; notes it is estimated that more than 100,000 horses are fattened at farms before being transported in appalling conditions with little food and water for days at a time to slaughterhouses in Italy, the capital of Europe's horsemeat trade; believes that such practice risks spreading diseases to animals in other EU countries and has implications for human health; calls on the Government to seek to strengthen the existing minimum values legislation which prevents the export of live horses from the UK for such purposes to ensure that it is not vulnerable to challenge; and urges UK members of the European Parliament to be vocal in their support for the EU to enforce a carcass-only trade. Tue, 06 Apr 2010 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2009-10/1232 http://www.edms.org.uk/2009-10/1161.htm That this House urges a greater sourcing of goods and services which will help boost local economies and local businesses as well as protecting existing jobs and creating new ones in local communities; notes that the Government has already done some good work in this area but recognises that many local organisations, such as local authorities, currently tender products from outside their areas rather than encouraging a local sourcing of goods and services; further recognises that millions of pounds could be brought into local economies if key local agencies sourced locally; calls on all contracts at local authority level to include a clause to say the council expects a condition of acceptance of any contract to say that goods and services will be sourced locally and that this is checked and verified before work is commenced; and urges greater co-ordination between central and local government to ensure greater levels of local sourcing are established. Tue, 23 Mar 2010 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2009-10/1161 http://www.edms.org.uk/2009-10/1122.htm That this House believes that the presence of different types of front of pack (FOP) labelling schemes in the marketplace causes shoppers difficulties in using them; recognises that independent evaluations on nutrition labelling have found that a single scheme would be helpful for consumers and that an integrated FOP labelling approach providing the elements of a high/medium/low text, traffic light colour coding and percentage guideline daily amounts (% GDA) information was most effective in terms of consumer comprehension, consumer preference and enabling consumers to assess the healthiness of a product; shares the disappointment of organisations such as Which?, Cancer Research UK, Consensus Action on Salt and Health, Diabetes UK, the National Heart Forum, Sustain and ASDA over the Food Standards Agency recommendation to allow food manufacturers and retailers to provide just two of these three elements and that they may therefore choose not to include traffic light colour coding under the proposed new scheme; notes that this will create more rather than less confusion among consumers and thereby make it harder for people to make informed decisions about the foods they eat; and therefore calls on the Government to reject the Agency's advice and implement a single scheme that will work best for consumers by supporting the integrated high/medium/low, traffic light colour coding and %GDAFOP labelling approach. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2009-10/1122 http://www.edms.org.uk/2009-10/1080.htm That this House congratulates the House of Commons Culinary Team on its success in the Salon Culinaire 2010 at Hotelympia held at London's Excel Arena; applauds the team consisting of Mark Hill, Laurence Colmer, Nick Wort, Nick Munting, Nick Chapman, Dan Terry, Luke Fouracre, Matt Jones, Dominique Ashford, Andy Ditchfield, David Bush, Keith Winspur, Andrew Foulis, Dan Piggott, Sara Lewis, Tom Freer, Terry Wiggins, Jack Allibone, Sara Bjork and Stuart Smith on their efforts; recognises the team being crowned international open team grand prix winners of Hotelympia's Salon Culinaire 2010; hails the team's gold medal success in the La Parade des Chefs, K9 Open Team Grand Prix Buffet and Best Kitchen/Larder competitions; and wishes the first team to represent Great Britain in the World Culinary Cup in Luxembourg every success. Fri, 12 Mar 2010 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2009-10/1080 http://www.edms.org.uk/2009-10/1057.htm That this House recognises that the issue of food waste has still not been properly addressed; notes that too much food is sent to landfill or composting; and calls on the Government to require all large food retailers and manufacturers to report the tonnage of food waste from their businesses on at least an annual basis in order to improve transparency and to encourage businesses to compete with each other based on their environmental credentials. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2009-10/1057 http://www.edms.org.uk/2009-10/1041.htm That this House is aware that the younger the child, the more vulnerable their health to the effects of poor quality food and nutrition; is alarmed that more than one in every five children starts school already overweight or obese and that this makes them more likely to suffer from serious health problems later in life; notes that existing regulation for food served in early years daycare is inadequate and does not prohibit the serving of foods high in salt, fat, sugar and artificial additives that are prohibited or restricted in primary and secondary schools; is concerned that nursery catering staff are not required to undertake training in nutrition; and calls on the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families to follow the Soil Association's Better Nursery Food Now campaign recommendations to implement mandatory standards for the quality of food served in all nurseries. Tue, 09 Mar 2010 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2009-10/1041 http://www.edms.org.uk/2009-10/918.htm That this House marks the 150th anniversary of the marriage between fish and chips; celebrates with pride the culinary institution that the dish has become; notes the importance of fish and chips as the staple fare of the industrial north in the 19th century; further notes the battle to claim the invention of the classic dish by both the North and South as a result of the fondness felt by the country as a whole; notes that presently the UK is home to almost 11,500 fish and chip shops, demonstrating that the dish is at the heart of British culture; and hopes that the classic dish of British fish and chips will be celebrated in decades to come. Tue, 23 Feb 2010 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2009-10/918 http://www.edms.org.uk/2009-10/867.htm That this House welcomes the launch of unified labelling across the Red Tractor assurance schemes; acknowledges that assured food indicated by the Red Tractor logo is getting an ever-increasing profile, making it more important that all sector standards comply with the same core values; notes that improvements to the scheme will help shoppers identify that the products they are buying are from a Red Tractor farm; believes that the clearer labelling system will also promote positive messages about the high quality of British food production, in turn supporting the Government's food vision and encouraging consumers to buy British; and calls on the Government to pledge vocal support for any measures aimed towards strengthening British food-producing industries. Wed, 10 Feb 2010 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2009-10/867 http://www.edms.org.uk/2009-10/822.htm That this House welcomes the Government's announcement that it accepts the recommendation made by the Competition Commission after its inquiry into UK grocery market supply practices that an independent, proactive grocery market ombudsman be created to monitor and enforce the Grocery Supply Code of Practice; notes that the Commission found that an ombudsman would ensure fair dealing between suppliers and supermarkets which was found to transfer excessive risk down the supply chain, such as retrospective unilateral changes to the terms of supply agreements, charges for loss or damage to goods after delivery and withholding payment without cause; further notes the Commission's finding that an ombudsman would protect the interests of consumers by promoting a supplier-supermarket relationship that encourages greater investment and innovation; and urges Her Majesty's Government to implement this remedy as quickly as possible. Mon, 08 Feb 2010 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2009-10/822 http://www.edms.org.uk/2009-10/744.htm That this House condemns the BBC for screening a programme titled Britain's Really Disgusting Food: Fish which presented a highly misleading and biased view of the fishing industry; believes it is totally irresponsible of the BBC to broadcast a programme telling people not to eat haddock, when it is healthy, nutritious food from well-managed stocks; recognises the reality is that fishermen, backed by the Scottish Government, have been leading European efforts to conserve North Sea and west coast fish stocks; and points out that the Scottish fleet has been at the forefront of pioneering conservation measures, from which there are positive results. Wed, 27 Jan 2010 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2009-10/744 http://www.edms.org.uk/2009-10/620.htm That this House supports the Plain English Campaign on its attempts to prohibit the use of the word regular in coffee shops and cafés; notes that this term is a meaningless description creating confusion; regrets the Americanisation of the English language in this country; commends the Plain English Campaign for its efforts to promote clear language in public life; and calls on all coffee shops and similar establishments to use English terms and one standardised and universally understood system of measurement, such as small, medium and large. Mon, 18 Jan 2010 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2009-10/620 http://www.edms.org.uk/2009-10/593.htm That this House welcomes the sympathetic consideration given by Ministers to representations made by right hon. and hon. Members on behalf of the natural health products industry about problems with unfair and illegal competition from the Channel Islands; further welcomes in particular the Government's considered view that the Nutrition and Health Claim Regulation, the Food Supplements Directive and the Medicines Directive do apply to the Channel Islands under Protocol 3 of the Treaty of Accession; further welcomes the progress made by Guernsey's adoption of its medicines legislation; hopes that appropriate attention will now be given to enforcement; remains concerned that businesses from the Channel Islands continue to market directly to the United Kingdom mainland products which contain illegal ingredients or which are promoted using illegal claims thus jeopardising consumer safety; observes that this situation will not be resolved as long as the required food legislation is not implemented in either Guernsey or Jersey; notes that in many cases such products also benefit from low value consignment relief and avoid liability for value added tax, seriously undermining the competitiveness of responsible UK suppliers; encourages Ministers to remain actively engaged in addressing these issues; and calls on the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, the Food Standards Agency, Royal Mail, the Advertising Standards Authority, and trading standards officers to take urgent enforcement action and to continue to engage with the authorities in the Channel Islands to secure the effective implementation of the necessary legislation without further delay. Wed, 13 Jan 2010 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2009-10/593 http://www.edms.org.uk/2009-10/496.htm That this House notes the negative impact of below-cost selling in the food industry on a whole range of issues, from employment conditions and consumer choice to animal welfare and the maintenance of the UK producer base; is concerned at retailers demanding high levels of discounting disproportionate to production costs and attempting to shift costs to manufacturers and growers both locally and internationally; and therefore supports the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union, representing many of those working in the food industry in the UK, in its call for greater regulation to tackle the unfair advantages of big retailers in order to protect employment conditions within the food industry and the diversity of small manufacturers and producers. Tue, 15 Dec 2009 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2009-10/496 http://www.edms.org.uk/2009-10/408.htm That this House notes over one billion people in the world are in hunger; further notes that last year a further 100 million people went into hunger due to high food prices and falling incomes; welcomes the fact that at the November World Food Summit 191 states reinforced their commitment to Millennium Development Goal 1 to halve the number of hungry by 2015; and further welcomes the G8's commitment to spending $20 billion over the next three years to increase agricultural productivity and tackle hunger. Wed, 09 Dec 2009 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2009-10/408 http://www.edms.org.uk/2009-10/418.htm That this House recognises the continuing progress being made by member companies of the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) in reducing the environmental impact of their operations, as set out in the second annual report highlighting achievements under the FDF's Fivefold Environmental Ambition; notes in particular the one million tonnes of carbon already saved compared to the 1990 baseline and the clear trajectory towards further substantial savings in future, vital in the context of the Copenhagen Climate Change negotiations, together with the efforts being made to increase efficiency in the use of water, eliminate waste to landfill, reduce packaging and improve transport performance; and welcomes the leadership being shown in demonstrating that good environmental practice makes good business sense and the contribution this makes to maintaining a competitive manufacturing base in the UK to help meet the challenges of food security and provide a platform for skilled employment and innovation in a sector of key importance to the economy. Wed, 09 Dec 2009 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2009-10/418 http://www.edms.org.uk/2009-10/358A1.htm after `Ceredigion;', add `further notes the success of farmers' markets at Hadleigh Country Park and Canvey Island Transport Museum;'. Tue, 08 Dec 2009 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2009-10/358A1 http://www.edms.org.uk/2009-10/369.htm That this House supports the work of the Fairtrade Foundation to improve sustainable sourcing practices, trading relationships and the livelihoods of farmers through certifying consumer products; welcomes Nestlé's recent announcement of Fairtrade certification to Nestlé's four finger Kit Kat, and its commitment to work towards certifying the whole Kit Kat range in the UK and Ireland; recognises the role that Fairtrade products have had in increasing consumer awareness of sustainability issues; notes the popularity of Fairtrade, with over £700 million of certified products sold in the UK each year; acknowledges the role that food manufacturers can play in helping farmers to access better trading conditions; is encouraged by Nestlé's actions; and looks forward to further commitments from manufacturers to promote growth and reduce poverty in the developing world. Mon, 07 Dec 2009 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2009-10/369 http://www.edms.org.uk/2009-10/358.htm That this House recognises the value of farmers' markets in supporting local producers and reducing food miles; congratulates farmers' markets across the country for promoting high quality local produce and for their contribution to the local economy in attracting consumers to the local area; notes the success of the farmers' markets in Aberystwyth and Lampeter, and their promotion of the outstanding local food producers in Ceredigion; and hopes that farmers' markets will continue to thrive and spread to more locations across the country. Thu, 03 Dec 2009 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2009-10/358 http://www.edms.org.uk/2009-10/319.htm That this House notes that the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has failed to reject the findings of a report authored by Dr Alan Dangour and Dr Sharon Friel which states that UK meat consumption should be reduced by up to a third in order to prevent climate change; believes that if this were to happen it would have a devastating effect on British farming; further believes that it is the responsibility of DEFRA to promote and defend British farming interests; has lost confidence in the ability of the Department to serve British agriculture effectively; and calls on the Government to create a cabinet level department separate from the Environment with a Secretary of State whose role will be to defend British agriculture. Wed, 02 Dec 2009 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2009-10/319 http://www.edms.org.uk/2009-10/336.htm That this House notes that after much delay proposals for maximum permitted levels for vitamins and minerals in food supplements under Article 5 of the Food Supplements Directive are expected to be published by the European Commission in early 2010; further notes that despite efforts from the UK Government and Food Standards Agency the levels remain likely to be set in a disproportionately restrictive way and will have a devastating impact on the UK health food industry; welcomes the recent impact assessment carried out by the Health Food Manufacturers' Association and the National Association of Health Stores to quantify the impact that the setting of maximum permitted levels will have on UK businesses; expresses its profound concern that the impact assessment suggests that the setting of maximum permitted levels could potentially lead to the loss of well over £100 million worth of sales, the closure of more than 700 independent retail stores and around 4,000 job losses; fears that smaller specialist manufacturers and retailers will be the hardest hit by this legislation; suggests that this process will restrict the choice to British consumers and leave such consumers exposed to the additional risks of buying products from unregulated overseas suppliers through the internet and mail order; and invites the Government to redouble its efforts in Europe to safeguard the future of the UK health food industry and the continued availability of safe, higher potency food supplements that have been on the UK market for decades. Wed, 02 Dec 2009 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2009-10/336 http://www.edms.org.uk/2009-10/339.htm That this House congratulates the Dairy Council in staging the 2009 Ceremony of the Christmas Cheeses, marking the ceremony's 50th anniversary, which forms the beginning of the Chelsea Pensioners' traditional Christmas celebrations; further congratulates William Moylon, the oldest Chelsea Pensioner, who had the honour of cutting the cheese at this historic occasion; notes that dairy products are a calcium-rich food for people of all ages which is especially important for older people in order to minimise bone loss; and welcomes the work of the Royal Hospital in ensuring that dairy products play an important role in the diet of the Chelsea Pensioners. Wed, 02 Dec 2009 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2009-10/339 http://www.edms.org.uk/2009-10/301.htm That this House notes that the United Kingdom has a rigorous and effective regime for permitting onto the market under the provisions of the Food Safety Act 1990 only such higher potency vitamin and mineral supplements as are accepted as safe and appropriately labelled by the Food Standards Agency; is deeply concerned that the future availability of such safe and popular supplements is now threatened by the current process through which the European Union is proposing pan-European limits on the potencies of such supplements under the provisions of Article 5 of the Food Supplements Directive; further notes that successive Ministers have pledged to defend the future availability of such supplements but have not yet secured sufficient support from other member states and the European Commission to ensure that the policy objectives of the Government can be achieved; and calls on the Prime Minister personally to intervene with the President of the European Commission to ensure that the right of UK manufacturers to produce, specialist retailers to sell, and informed consumers to choose to buy such safe and popular supplements is not unacceptably curtailed through an unnecessarily restrictive interpretation of the legislation. Tue, 01 Dec 2009 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2009-10/301 http://www.edms.org.uk/2009-10/279.htm That this House notes that currently most fresh meat produce is labelled to include its source of origin; expresses concern that a similar standard of labelling is not as strictly enforced in the case of ready meals which include processed meat; notes that it is permissable for meat and other products to be produced overseas, imported to the UK and processed then labelled as British; further notes that actual British meat to be of a very high standard, and that British animal welfare standards are some of the best in the world; regrets that those purchasing products containing processed meat may be misled by incorrect labelling into purchasing an inferior product; calls on the Government to close this loophole; and further calls on supermarkets and other retailers to exceed the prescription of law by ensuring that only produce that has been produced in the United Kingdom is labelled as British. Mon, 30 Nov 2009 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2009-10/279 http://www.edms.org.uk/2009-10/226.htm That this House welcomes the success of the documentary film End of the Line in raising public awareness about the sustainability of global fish stocks and the implications of a world without enough fish; believes taxpayers' money should not be used to buy seafood in the public sector that is unsustainable; recognises the health benefits of eating shellfish and the importance of the shellfish industry to the UK seafood industry; and calls on the Government to prohibit public sector organisations from purchasing seafood included on the Marine Conservation Society's fish to avoid list and to require that all wild-caught seafood served in public sector organisations should be either Marine Stewardship Council-certified, or from stocks that meet the United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organisation's Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries. Wed, 25 Nov 2009 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2009-10/226 http://www.edms.org.uk/2009-10/230.htm That this House notes that the number of hungry and malnourished people has passed the one billion mark, in part because of rising food prices; further notes the comment by Oliver De Schutter, UN rapporteur on the right to food, that the November 2009 UN Food Summit declaration text omits to mention the diversion of arable land to biofuels, being a major contributor to rising food prices; further notes that several major scientific analyses indicate that first world incentives for liquid biofuels from crops are having a net negative effect on the environment, and that there is no practical mechanism known to rectify this; further notes that medical research is not promoted by placing medicines believed to cause net harm on unlimited sale; therefore seeks a radical reform of EU bioenergy policy so as to put hunger-abatement and environmental objectives first; and urges the Government to place a moratorium on the awarding of Renewables Obligation Certificates to UK power station projects using liquid biofuels from crop sources, which are currently proliferating. Wed, 25 Nov 2009 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2009-10/230 http://www.edms.org.uk/2009-10/234.htm That this House believes that all food products containing egg and egg derivatives produced in the EU and imported food products from non-EU countries should be labelled as to production method in line with current labelling regulations for packs of shell eggs; welcomes the progress being made to improve the welfare of egg laying hens through the support of EU Directive 99/74/EC banning the conventional battery cage from 2012 across the EU; notes with concern that from 2012 UK egg production is forecast to diminish and that this deficit could be met by processed food companies importing eggs from non-EU egg farmers using conventional battery cage production methods; and therefore calls on the Government to make it a requirement for all processed food products containing egg derivatives sold in the UK to be labelled with the production method to allow consumers to make an informed choice. Wed, 25 Nov 2009 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2009-10/234 http://www.edms.org.uk/2009-10/239.htm That this House believes that all eggs produced by hens in enriched cage systems should be labelled to differentiate them from eggs produced by other production systems; welcomes the progress being made to improve the welfare of egg laying hens through EU Directive 99/74/EC, banning the conventional battery cage from the EU by 2012, and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs' support for the introduction in EU marketing regulations of a code 4 for eggs produced by hens housed in enriched systems; notes that a significant proportion of UK farmers have invested in improved enriched cage production systems; and calls on the Government to introduce a code 4 to distinguish eggs produced by hens housed in enriched systems from those housed in conventional battery cages outside of the EU, to assist UK farmers. Wed, 25 Nov 2009 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2009-10/239 http://www.edms.org.uk/2009-10/192.htm That this House welcomes the Competition Commission's establishment of a strengthened Grocery Supply Code of Practice (GSCOP) following its inquiry into the UK grocery market which found that supermarket practices which transfer excessive risk to suppliers, such as retrospective unilateral changes to the terms of supply agreements, charges for loss or damage to goods after delivery and withholding payment without cause could have an adverse effect on investment and innovation in the supply chain, and ultimately on consumers; notes the Commission's recommendation that for the GSCOP to be effective it must be monitored and enforced by an independent ombudsman; is disappointed that the supermarkets affected have failed to agree voluntary undertakings to establish an ombudsman which offers the opportunity for independent verification of their commitment to the principles of fair trading; believes that the current recession has increased pressure on suppliers; further notes that UK supermarkets continue to report healthy profits from their grocery business; recognises that fair treatment of primary producers is crucial to achieving UK commitments to eradicating poverty in the developing world and guaranteeing food security for the UK; and calls on the Government to act on the considered recommendation of the Commission to introduce the neccessary legislation to establish the proposed ombudsman to protect the interests of suppliers and consumers alike. Tue, 24 Nov 2009 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2009-10/192 http://www.edms.org.uk/2009-10/121.htm That this House calls for procurement policies on the purchasing of food supplied by local farmers to supply the supermarkets and shops in their local area; recognises the quality of locally grown and reared produce by local farmers; further calls for efforts to ensure less environmental damage by reducing the number of food miles; further calls for the creation of sustainable communities by bringing together farmers and buyers; and further calls for the establishment of local farm co-operatives to help build relationships between food outlets and their neighbourhood farmers. Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2009-10/121 http://www.edms.org.uk/2009-10/140.htm That this House welcomes the decision by many supermarkets, local authorities and manufacturers not to sell or use eggs from caged hens; notes with concern that the criteria for the pilot stage of the Government's Healthier Food Mark does not exclude the use of conventional battery eggs; further notes that the production of conventional battery eggs is banned in the EU from 1 January 2012 and that the public sector continues to purchase eggs from production systems with low standards of animal welfare; and calls on the Government to prohibit the public procurement of eggs from caged hens and to buy instead eggs that meet higher animal welfare standards, including barn, free range and organic eggs. Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2009-10/140 http://www.edms.org.uk/2008-09/2263.htm That this House marks the launch of the Royal Society of Chemistry's Chemistry Week 2009 in November; notes that among its key objectives is to raise awareness of the vital role of chemistry in food and food security as one of the major global issues of current times; further notes that activities are taking place in constituencies up and down the country based on the chemical science of food; further notes the wide range of activities organised by the Society in local communities and constituencies all over the country which are designed to illustrate the Chemistry Week theme of food which focuses on the vital role of the chemical sciences; further notes that at the Parliamentary launch of Chemistry Week on 9 November the proportion voting for fish and chips as the nation's favourite food was 60 per cent. while that voting for curry was 37.5 per cent.; and further notes the unrivalled contribution that the study of chemistry and the chemical sciences have made and continue to make to the understanding of nature, to the quality of life and to the knowledge economy of the 21st century. Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2008-09/2263 http://www.edms.org.uk/2008-09/2160.htm That this House praises the efforts of UK food and drink exporters to keep building their overseas sales in what are very challenging international trading conditions; welcomes the data published by the Food and Drink Federation showing that food and drink exports were worth £4.82 billion in the first six months of the year, up 10 per cent. in value terms on the year before; but notes with concern that many international competitors are benefiting from state-provided insurance cover; and urges the Government to extend its trade credit insurance scheme beyond the end of this year and to support an international scheme to ensure UK exporters can compete on a level playing field. Tue, 27 Oct 2009 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2008-09/2160 http://www.edms.org.uk/2008-09/2102.htm That this House believes that all food products containing egg and egg derivatives produced in the EU and imported food products from non-EU countries should be labelled as to production method in line with current labelling regulations for packs of shell eggs; welcomes the progress being made to improve the welfare of egg laying hens through the support of EU Directive 99/74/EC banning the conventional battery cage from 2012 across the EU; notes with concern that from 2012 UK egg production is forecast to diminish and that this deficit could be met by processed food companies importing eggs from non-EU egg farmers using conventional battery cage production methods; and therefore calls on the Government to make it a requirement for all processed food products containing egg derivatives sold in the UK to be labelled with the production method to allow consumers to make an informed choice. Tue, 20 Oct 2009 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2008-09/2102 http://www.edms.org.uk/2008-09/2103.htm That this House believes that all eggs produced by hens in enriched cage systems should be labelled to differentiate them from eggs produced by other production systems; welcomes the progress being made to improve the welfare of egg-laying hens through EU Directive 99/74/EC banning the conventional battery cage from the EU by 2012; further welcomes the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs support for the introduction in EU marketing regulations of a code 4 for eggs produced by hens housed in enriched systems; notes that a significant proportion of UK farmers have invested in improved enriched cage production systems; and calls on the UK Government to introduce a code 4 to distinguish eggs produced by hens housed in enriched systems from those housed in conventional battery cages outside of the EU, to assist UK farmers. Tue, 20 Oct 2009 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2008-09/2103 http://www.edms.org.uk/2008-09/2043.htm That this House expresses profound concern that for the first time in history, more than one billion people, or nearly one in every six people are hungry; is further concerned that undernutrition continues to cause the unnecessary deaths of 3.1 million children every year and that infant deaths in the developing world may be between 200,000 and 400,000 higher per year on average between 2009 and 2015 as a result of the food and financial crises; deplores the failure of the international community to deliver on its commitments made at the first World Food Summit 13 years ago to halve the number of hungry people no later than 2015, and other pledges made at subsequent World Food summits; believes that the forthcoming World Food Summit in Rome, 16-18 November 2009, must lead to the immediate delivery of unfulfilled commitments, including funding pledges; urges the Government to provide the necessary leadership on hunger and undernutrition at the summit by ensuring that the plea of millions of undernourished children is recognised; and calls on the Government officially to endorse the proposal for the adoption by governments of voluntary National Declarations of Commitment to Eradication of Hunger and Malnutrition by 2025. Wed, 14 Oct 2009 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2008-09/2043 http://www.edms.org.uk/2008-09/1984.htm That this House draws attention to the plight of the 1.02 billion people worldwide who suffer from chronic hunger on a daily basis as the 28th UN World Food Day is marked; notes with regret that the economic crisis has pushed some 100 million more people into chronic hunger and poverty in 2009, and continues to do so; re-affirms the UK's commitment to Millennium Development Goal 1 to halve the proportion of people who suffer from chronic hunger by 2015; urges the UK to take a lead at the upcoming UN World Summit on Food Security; and welcomes the forthcoming publication of the report by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Agriculture and Food for Development on the UK's role in tackling global food insecurity. Mon, 12 Oct 2009 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2008-09/1984 http://www.edms.org.uk/2008-09/2002.htm That this House notes with concern that on 31 December European legislation will come into force overriding food standard laws of all member countries; further notes that widely used herbs, nutrients, homeopathic and other natural remedies are to be relabelled as requiring prescriptions for use, potentially causing an increased cost and time burden on the NHS, limiting the availability of commonly used health supplements, and impacting on UK health food businesses; and calls for the Government to take heed of a public petition submitted to Downing Street and urgently assess the domestic impact of this legislation. Mon, 12 Oct 2009 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2008-09/2002 http://www.edms.org.uk/2008-09/1931.htm That this House celebrates the diversity of British foods; acknowledges Bangladeshi cuisine to be one of Britain's best-known and loved culinary experiences; notes that the British Bangladeshi food industry provides jobs for around 100,000 people; commends the Federation of Bangladeshi Caterers UK for its pioneering work in giving a voice to the sector; and calls on the Government to recognise and support British Bangladeshi caterers in the current economic climate. Mon, 20 Jul 2009 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2008-09/1931 http://www.edms.org.uk/2008-09/1911.htm That this House records its appreciation of the culinary masterpiece that is chicken tikka masala; notes that it is Britain's most popular curry; recognises that it was invented in the great City of Glasgow by Ali Ahmed Aslam, proprietor of the Shish Mahal restaurant in Glasgow's West End in the seventies; further notes that Glasgow is three times winner of the curry capital of Britain award; and supports the campaign for Glasgow to be given EU Protected Designation of Origin of this most popular dish. Thu, 16 Jul 2009 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2008-09/1911 http://www.edms.org.uk/2008-09/1747.htm That this House believes in fair trade for farmers, whether based in the UK or overseas; is concerned at reports of dairy farmers being offered as little as 10 pence per litre for their milk in the aftermath of the collapse of Dairy Farmers of Britain; acknowledges the fact that many British farmers from a variety of sectors are forced to accept payment for their produce by powerful buyers including supermarkets at a rate below the cost price; further believes that this unfair trade is a consequence of market failure and an imbalance of power between the producer, the processor and the retailer; and seeks to correct that imbalance by setting up a new, powerful Food Market Regulator with a remit to be proactive to ensure fair trade in the domestic food market to ensure that farmers, growers and consumers get a fair deal. Thu, 25 Jun 2009 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2008-09/1747 http://www.edms.org.uk/2008-09/1715.htm That this House praises record levels of UK food and drink exports, boosted by strong performances in all product categories, as published by the Food and Drink Federation as part of World Trade Week UK; welcomes the data showing that exports were worth £9.23 billion in 2008, up 20 per cent. in value terms on the year before; recognises that UK food and drink manufacturers have built a strong international reputation for quality and innovation over many years, that the sector continues to perform strongly on the export stage, despite challenging global circumstances; and acknowledges this success as further evidence of the importance of the food and drink sector to the overall UK economy. Mon, 22 Jun 2009 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2008-09/1715 http://www.edms.org.uk/2008-09/1724.htm That this House notes the severe problems facing the UK dairy industry; is dismayed by the collapse of the co-operative, Dairy Farmers of Britain; and urges the Government to support those numerous producers affected, whilst also requesting urgent action to be taken in tightening up EU and UK labelling requirements on all products of animal origin including dairy products, particularly cheese, so that misleading labelling is stamped out and that consumers can make informed choices about the dairy products they buy, and can clearly identify the country in which the animal was reared, and raw material produced and processed. Mon, 22 Jun 2009 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2008-09/1724 http://www.edms.org.uk/2008-09/1587.htm That this House notes with concern the proposed regulation to increase the maximum permitted stocking density for chickens from the recommended 15 to 17 to 17 to 19 chickens per square metre, with a further extension to 19 to 21 chickens if certain criteria are met; further notes that The Scientific Committee on Animal Health and Animal Welfare record that when stocking rates exceed 30 kg per square metre welfare problems are likely to occur regardless of indoor climate control capacity; further believes that higher stocking densities result in an increase in pathologies, reduce behavioural activities and severely affect walking ability; and calls on the Government to exclude the derogation in the EU Directive that allows member states to permit extreme stocking densities above 17 to 19 chickens per square metre from UK legislation and not to abandon its previous recommended stocking density of 15 to 17 chickens per square metre, thereby permitting chicken welfare standards to be reduced. Wed, 03 Jun 2009 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2008-09/1587 http://www.edms.org.uk/2008-09/1542.htm That this House continues to have enduring concerns about the setting of maximum permitted levels of vitamins and minerals under the provisions of the EU Food Supplements Directive, a process which threatens the viability of many specialist manufacturers and up to 700 independent retailers whilst also restricting consumer choice; is now gravely alarmed that the majority of EU Member States, including Germany, pressed at a meeting of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health held on 27 March 2009 for the scope of the Directive to be further extended to include other substances in addition to vitamins and minerals; notes that such an approach would risk unnecessary and unacceptable maximum permitted levels also being set for a much wider range of supplements including those containing plant ingredients as well as glucosamine, creatine and others; believes that amendment of the Directive is long overdue; and calls on the Government to face up to the challenge and deliver the substantive amendment of this burdensome, unnecessary and bureaucratic legislation before it is too late. Wed, 20 May 2009 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2008-09/1542 http://www.edms.org.uk/2008-09/581A1.htm after `Government', insert `to work with the European Union to'. Tue, 21 Apr 2009 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2008-09/581A1 http://www.edms.org.uk/2008-09/1221.htm That this House congratulates Asda, Boots, The Co-operative Group, Iceland, Marks and Spencer, Sainsbury's, Tesco and Waitrose for their commitment to reducing the levels of saturated fat consumed in the UK; welcomes retailers proactively taking voluntary steps to reformulate existing foodstuffs, introduce lower fat alternatives of popular products, use labelling to inform consumers of the levels of saturated fat in their food and use their understanding of consumer purchasing behaviour to raise awareness and develop long-lasting change; recognises that tackling the nation's obesity crisis requires a multi-faceted approach; and further welcomes members of the British Retail Consortium leading by example and playing their part. Mon, 30 Mar 2009 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2008-09/1221 http://www.edms.org.uk/2008-09/1148.htm That this House notes that foie gras is traditionally produced by forcing metal pipes down the throats of ducks and geese and over-feeding them, causing their livers to swell to 10 times the normal size; further notes that the production, but not the sale, of foie gras is banned in the UK; applauds the work of banfoiegras.org.uk; calls on restaurants to use brands of faux gras which are supported by the RSPCA and Compassion in World Farming and are produced from free-range ducks and geese without force-feeding; and further calls on the Government to prohibit the sale of traditionally-produced foie gras in the UK. Mon, 23 Mar 2009 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2008-09/1148 http://www.edms.org.uk/2008-09/1125.htm That this House recognises that people with coeliac disease have an autoimmune disease for which the only treatment is a lifelong adherence to a gluten-free diet; acknowledges that 58 per cent. of those diagnosed with coeliac disease are most concerned about the lack of safe gluten-free options offered in restaurants and similar places; urges chefs and caterers to improve the availability of gluten-free choices; and commends and supports Coeliac UK for its Eating Out campaign to make eating out possible for people with the condition which will significantly improve their quality of life and create more business for the hospitality sector. Wed, 18 Mar 2009 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2008-09/1125 http://www.edms.org.uk/2008-09/1056.htm That this House congratulates Islington Labour councillors in successfully amending the borough's budget for 2009-10 to enable all primary school children to receive free school meals; and believes that this constitutes a great commitment to children's health and shows proper priorities. Wed, 11 Mar 2009 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2008-09/1056 http://www.edms.org.uk/2008-09/1058.htm That this House congratulates Farmers Weekly, Waitrose and the Waitrose Food Illustrated magazine on their successful Save Our Bacon campaign; recognises the efforts of the campaign to promote a fair and sustainable price for high quality pork produced by British farmers; notes that most British consumers do not know the high losses being reaped by the industry and the impact on farmers; acknowledges that Waitrose is the first retailer to stock 100 per cent. British bacon when the food retail industry in general still sources large quantities of pork and bacon from overseas; recognises the important contribution British farming makes to the food supply, protecting the countryside, rural employment and combating climate change; further notes the Office of Fair Trading investigation which uncovered price fixing by supermarkets; and calls on the Government to ensure the Supermarket Code has real teeth and that supermarket regulation is introduced. Wed, 11 Mar 2009 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2008-09/1058 http://www.edms.org.uk/2008-09/1029.htm That this House notes with concern the lack of clarity over food labelling, particularly in relation to the country of origin of foodstuffs and ingredients; welcomes the statement by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, in which he said that firms should state clearly on labels the country of origin of their prime ingredients instead of where products were last significantly processed, so that consumers can make a more informed choice about what they buy and eat; and urges the Government to pursue talks with the EU in order to change labelling rules so that consumers know where animals, even those used in processed foods, are born, reared and slaughtered. Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2008-09/1029 http://www.edms.org.uk/2008-09/1008A1.htm at end add `; further urges private owners to consider the provision of unused land for allotments; and applauds the decision of Dalhousie Estates to provide a portion of land in Brechin for allotments.'. Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2008-09/1008A1 http://www.edms.org.uk/2008-09/1005.htm That this House believes that the engagement of companies in Fairtrade initiatives is necessary to advance measures to improve the situation of food producers in developing countries; congratulates the Fairtrade Foundation on securing a commitment to Fairtrade certification for Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate; notes the positive impact this will have on cocoa-farming communities in Ghana; welcomes the work of the Fairtrade Foundation in gaining the support of such an iconic and popular British brand; calls on the Government to do all it can to promote Fairtrade products; and urges other British companies to follow Cadbury's lead through its work on the Cadbury Cocoa Partnership and in working with the Fairtrade movement, and to promote the important role that Fairtrade plays in improving the lives of food producers around the world. Mon, 09 Mar 2009 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2008-09/1005 http://www.edms.org.uk/2008-09/1008.htm That this House recognises the importance of allotments within the local community; notes local authorities' statutory obligation to provide land for allotments is not being met; further notes that demand from the public for allotments exceeds current provision and is increasing; and calls on the Government to bring forward legislative proposals to deliver an increase in the volume of land provided by local authorities for allotments. Mon, 09 Mar 2009 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2008-09/1008 http://www.edms.org.uk/2008-09/1001.htm That this House warmly commends the Fairtrade Foundation's Go Bananas! for Fairtrade campaign, an innovative way of drawing attention to Fairtrade and encouraging people across the country to take part in weird and wonderful banana-themed events to support small farmers and workers in developing countries who rely on the Fairtrade price to earn a sustainable living and improve their communities; and hopes that as many people as possible will take part across the country in this fantastic initiative. Fri, 06 Mar 2009 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2008-09/1001 http://www.edms.org.uk/2008-09/996.htm That this House welcomes the Competition Commission's recommendation that a competition test should be introduced in the planning system to tackle local supermarket monopolies; believes that the introduction of a competition test is essential to promoting diversity of retail provision and choice for consumers and protection for communities from the dominant position of some retailers; and calls on the Government to pass the competition test into law without any further delay. Thu, 05 Mar 2009 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2008-09/996 http://www.edms.org.uk/2008-09/980.htm That this House welcomes the decision by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) to recommend a single hygiene scoring scheme; recognises that such a scheme will play a major role in tackling food-borne illness by helping consumers to make informed decisions about the food premises in which they eat and help drive up hygiene standards in those food premises; further recognises that a single scheme will end the confusion among consumers caused by the number of different schemes currently in use by different local authorities; and calls on all local authorities to recognise the benefits to consumers of having a single national scheme and ensure that they voluntarily adopt the FSA's recommendation of a six-tier five-star scheme with minimal delay. Wed, 04 Mar 2009 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2008-09/980 http://www.edms.org.uk/2008-09/923.htm That this House notes that the United Kingdom has a rigorous and effective regime for permitting onto the market under the provisions of the Food Safety Act 1990 only such higher potency vitamin and mineral supplements as are accepted as safe and appropriately labelled by the Food Standards Agency; is deeply concerned that the future availability of such safe and popular supplements is now threatened by the current process through which the European Union is proposing pan-European limits on the potencies of such supplements under the provisions of Article 5 of the Food Supplements Directive; further notes that successive Ministers have pledged to defend the future availability of such supplements but have not yet secured sufficient support from other member states and the European Commission to ensure that the policy objectives of the Government can be achieved; and calls on the Prime Minister personally to intervene with the President of the European Commission to ensure that the right of UK manufacturers to produce, specialist retailers to sell, and informed consumers to choose to buy such safe and popular supplements is not unacceptably curtailed through an unnecessarily restrictive interpretation of the legislation. Mon, 02 Mar 2009 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2008-09/923 http://www.edms.org.uk/2008-09/803.htm That this House welcomes the Children's Food Campaign report Through the back door; notes with concern its findings that many organisations within the food industry are producing educational materials that promote food to children and contain incorrect and misleading nutritional information designed to be taught in schools as fact; further welcomes the condemnation of these packs by the Minister of State for Health; and calls on the Department for Children, Schools and Families to introduce stronger regulation of educational materials produced by companies and trade bodies as soon as possible. Thu, 12 Feb 2009 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2008-09/803 http://www.edms.org.uk/2008-09/769.htm That this House notes with concern reports that at a recent meeting officials of the European Commission's Directorate-General Health and Consumer Affairs compared the United Kingdom's natural health product sector unfavourably to the tobacco and alcohol industries and added that the prohibition of higher potency vitamin and mineral supplements, currently accepted as safe by the Food Standards Agency, was an acceptable price to pay for the harmonisation of the market for supplements throughout the European Union; further notes the detailed impact assessment conducted by the National Association of Health Stores about the potential effect upon UK specialist retailers of a restrictive interpretation of the EU Food Supplements Directive; is alarmed by the Association's conclusions that up to 59 per cent. or 700 of such independent stores may close and 76 per cent. experience a significant impact upon staffing levels in such a scenario, leading to substantial job losses and further damage to high streets around the country; and calls on Ministers at the Department of Health, the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to redouble their efforts to make the European Commission see sense on this matter, in the interests both of the independent health food retailers and consumer choice. Wed, 11 Feb 2009 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2008-09/769 http://www.edms.org.uk/2008-09/717.htm That this House supports the Food Standards Agency's campaign which launches on 10 February 2009 supported by Heart of Mersey and other organisations, to raise awareness of the positive changes that can be made to reduce the amount of saturated fats eaten; expresses great concern that the UK population consumes 20 per cent. more than the recommended maximum amount of saturated fats which contributes to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, the UK's biggest killer accounting for almost 198,000 deaths annually; and congratulates the Food Standards Agency and its partner organisations in contributing positively to combating the growing threat to health of obesity, diabetes and stroke. Mon, 09 Feb 2009 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2008-09/717 http://www.edms.org.uk/2008-09/735.htm That this House welcomes the report Combating Malnutrition by the Advisory Group on Malnutrition led by British Association for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition; thanks the Advisory Group's members for giving up their time to identify the steps which can be taken by the Government and by all those with caring responsibilities to address the condition; expresses concern over the Advisory Group's finding that three million people are malnourished in the UK at any one time and that the total costs to the public purse of disease-related malnutrition are in excess of £13 billion per annum; notes the findings of the Advisory Group that malnutrition is closely linked to socio-economic factors such as deprivation and that as a result the burden of malnutrition exacerbates health inequalities; endorses the Advisory Group's recommendation for joined-up action by the Government, the NHS, the voluntary sector and other parties to work together to tackle malnutrition; calls on the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) to consider the case for including malnutrition in the Quality and Outcomes Framework of the General Medical Services contract from 2010-11; and further calls on the Government to ensure that as many of the Advisory Group's recommendations are implemented in full and as soon as possible, including the requirement to undertake nutritional screening in line with the recommendations already made by NICE. Mon, 09 Feb 2009 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2008-09/735 http://www.edms.org.uk/2008-09/663.htm That this House welcomes the beginning of National Dairy Week; notes with regret the reduction in the number of UK dairy farms; further notes with concern Wiseman's decision to reduce its milk price by 2.2 pence per litre and the announcement by Dairy Crest that it would cut its February milk price by 1.75 pence per litre and its Davidstow price by one pence per litre; expresses concern that the quota price of milk has crashed from approximately 32 pence per litre in 1988 to approximately one pence per litre in 2008; recognises that although the selling price of milk has increased, the share going to farmers has fallen since 1995 from 24.5 pence to 18 pence; acknowledges the role played in this by major supermarket chains in pushing down the price of dairy products with little regard for the need to get a fair price for farmers; and calls on the Government to act to protect dairy farmers by introducing a genuine supermarket regulator to establish a proper pricing calculation, based on a transparent pricing formula, that is detached from commodity pricing and which develops long-term, trusting relationships with the supply chain. Tue, 03 Feb 2009 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2008-09/663 http://www.edms.org.uk/2008-09/617.htm That this House endorses article 25(1) of the UN Declaration of Human Rights and recognises access to sufficient, affordable, safe and nutritious food as a human right; acknowledges the growing evidence that older people's access to food is more easily compromised than other sectors of society; is aware of the growing risk of malnutrition in an increasingly ageing population due to a wide range of factors, including lack of transport, bad weather, fuel poverty, bereavement, social exclusion, medication, illness or carer illness; strongly supports voluntary sector efforts to engage older people in planning the content of an Older People's Food Charter; welcomes the launch of a UK Older People's Food Summit with the participation of older people, leading food retailers, the NHS, local government, regulators and others; encourages older people and carers to have their say in preparing the Food Charter; and calls upon the Government to consider older people's food access issues in the formulation of policy. Wed, 28 Jan 2009 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2008-09/617 http://www.edms.org.uk/2008-09/581.htm That this House believes that all chicken meat, including imported chicken meat, should be labelled as to farming method and preferably stocking density; further believes the labelling regulation that requires packs of shell eggs to be labelled as to production method should be extended to chicken meat; congratulates Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Compassion in World Farming on their Chicken Out! campaign calling on supermarkets to introduce labelling as to farming method to allow consumers to make informed choices; notes that most UK chickens are still reared intensively in overcrowded conditions and have been bred to grow so quickly that many suffer from lameness and heart problems; and calls on the Government to make it a requirement for all chicken producers to meet the conditions of the RSPCA's Freedom Food scheme. Mon, 26 Jan 2009 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2008-09/581 http://www.edms.org.uk/2008-09/495.htm That this House congratulates the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) and the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) on the forthcoming publication of their joint report about science and food entitled the Vital Ingredient; notes that the launch of this major report is on 21 January at the House with the President of the RSC, Professor Dave Garner and the President of the IChemE, Professor Richard Darton; congratulates those involved in producing this report including the Chair of the Joint RSC-IChemE Steering Committee, Professor Peter Lillford, and the report's co-authors Dr Farrah Bhatti and Dr Philippa Bell; notes that the keynote address at the launch is being given by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; further notes the contributions of Dame Suzi Leather, Chair of the Council of Food Policy Advisers, the hon. Member for North East Milton Keynes, Shadow International Development Minister and the right hon. Member for Fylde, Chair of the Select Committee on Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; applauds the RSC for its role in highlighting the important connection between food security, climate change and the availability of water and energy as inter-linked issues; and notes that 2009 is the RSC's designated Year of Food which aims to raise awareness of the vital role of the chemical sciences in all aspects of food. Mon, 19 Jan 2009 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2008-09/495 http://www.edms.org.uk/2008-09/475.htm That this House recognises the results of the recent poll conducted by the Institute of Grocery Distribution into consumer attitudes to farming; welcomes the news that 87 per cent. of consumers believe that supermarkets should focus more on selling food produced by British farmers; notes with great interest that 88 per cent. of consumers believe that Britain needs to be much more self-sufficient in its food production; and calls on the Government's newly formed Food Council to reassess its food security priorities to ensure that Britain has sustainable sources of food production to meet the demand of future generations. Thu, 15 Jan 2009 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2008-09/475 http://www.edms.org.uk/2008-09/483.htm That this House notes the negative impact of below cost selling in the food industry on a whole range of issues, from employment conditions and consumer choice to animal welfare and the maintenance of our producer base; is concerned at retailers demanding high levels of discounting disproportionate to production costs and attempting to shift costs to manufacturers and growers both locally and internationally; and therefore supports the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union, representing many of those working in the food industry in the UK, in its call for greater regulation to tackle the unfair advantages of big retailers in order to protect employment conditions within the food industry and the diversity of small manufacturers and producers. Thu, 15 Jan 2009 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2008-09/483 http://www.edms.org.uk/2008-09/382.htm That this House calls for the launch of local food procurement policies to be imposed on supermarkets, schools, universities and hospitals; further calls on the Government to encourage supermarkets to commit to local competition policies to promote local self-reliance, the regeneration of local communities and a sustainable local economy; further calls for taxes on supermarket food to be based on the road and air miles that stock travels in order to encourage local sourcing; and notes that the current supermarket Code of Practice requires legal strengthening by the appointment of an independent ombudsman in order to secure and regulate fair trade between supermarkets and local suppliers. Mon, 12 Jan 2009 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2008-09/382 http://www.edms.org.uk/2008-09/406.htm That this House expresses concern for the implications for food and the environment of Government discussions with companies of the Agriculture Biotechnology Council which includes Monsanto and Dow Chemicals; notes that these were two of the manufacturers of Agent Orange used by US forces in Vietnam, and are at present before the US Supreme Court for the damage done by Agent Orange; and, whilst remaining unconvinced that genetically-modified crops are safe environmentally for the long-term, is concerned that they could damage biodiversity, and currently are inadequately labelled on products containing such ingredients; and believes that these two companies should not be in cosy discussions with the Government on this matter whilst still not properly fulfilling their compensatory responsibility to the people of Vietnam. Mon, 12 Jan 2009 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2008-09/406 http://www.edms.org.uk/2008-09/326.htm That this House welcomes the Food and Drink Federation's (FDF) recent one year on update on its Five-fold Environmental Ambition which highlights the ongoing commitment of food and drink manufacturers to reducing the sector's environmental impact; takes particular note of the investment in new environmental technologies and infrastructure to achieve reductions in carbon dioxide emissions, waste to landfill, the amount of packaging reaching households, the amount of water used in factories, and achieving fewer and friendlier food miles; and encourages more companies in the sector to sign up to the FDF's groundbreaking environmental framework. Tue, 16 Dec 2008 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2008-09/326 http://www.edms.org.uk/2008-09/217A1.htm at end add `or Scottish, dependent on which designation the producer feels will command a greater premium price.'. Tue, 16 Dec 2008 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2008-09/217A1 http://www.edms.org.uk/2008-09/238.htm That this House notes the importance of public analysts as part of the wider framework of food quality checks; recognises the crucial role of public analysts in Ireland and Northern Ireland by enforcing the recall of all Irish-produced pork products after they identified that animal feed contaminated with the harmful toxins had infected pig products; notes with concern that 11 public analyst laboratories have closed in the last 13 years; is alarmed that there are currently only 24 public analyst laboratories left; is deeply concerned that poor funding means that the wider public health role of public analysts is in danger despite the increasing demand by consumers for better quality goods; and calls on the Government to conduct a review of arrangements for the funding of public analysts to ensure that food quality and safety is not compromised by spending restrictions. Wed, 10 Dec 2008 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2008-09/238 http://www.edms.org.uk/2008-09/245.htm That this House congratulates the Dairy Council on staging the 2008 Centenary of the Christmas Cheeses, which forms the beginning of the Chelsea Pensioners' traditional Christmas celebrations; further congratulates Bob Costley, aged 95, formerly of the Royal Artillery and one of the oldest Chelsea Pensioners, who had the honour of cutting the cheese at this historic ceremony; notes that dairy products are a calcium-rich food for people of all ages; further notes that a good calcium intake is especially important for older people in order to minimise bone loss, which is a normal part of the ageing process; welcomes the work of the Royal Hospital in ensuring that dairy products play an important role in the diet of the Chelsea Pensioners; and calls on the Department of Health to take steps to promote the consumption of calcium-rich sources of food such as dairy products. Wed, 10 Dec 2008 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2008-09/245 http://www.edms.org.uk/2008-09/194.htm That this House calls on the Government to adopt policies on the procurement and purchasing of food supplied by farmers to the supermarkets and shops in their local area; recognises the quality of locally-grown and reared produce; further calls for efforts to ensure less environmental damage by reducing the number of food miles; further calls for the creation of sustainable communities by bringing together farmers and buyers; and further calls for the establishment of local farm co-operatives to help build relationships between food outlets and their neighbourhood farmers. Tue, 09 Dec 2008 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2008-09/194 http://www.edms.org.uk/2008-09/198.htm That this House believes that food procurement practices by public bodies have the potential to make a significant contribution to reducing food miles, boosting the rural economy and improving nutritional standards; notes that not a single rasher of bacon fed to the UK's armed forces is from British farms; further notes the evidence in the Quality of Life Report which suggests that locally produced food need not be more expensive than imported food; accordingly urges public bodies to do everything they can within EU rules to source food requirements locally where they can do so at no additional cost; and calls on the Government to move towards a system where all publicly procured food meets British standards of production. Tue, 09 Dec 2008 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2008-09/198 http://www.edms.org.uk/2008-09/217.htm That this House notes that currently most fresh meat produce is labelled to include its source of origin; expresses concern that similar standards of labelling are not as strictly enforced in the case of ready meals which include processed meat; further notes that it is permissible for meat and other products to be produced overseas, imported into the United Kingdom and processed then labelled as British; further notes that actual British meat is of a very high standard, and that British animal welfare standards are some of the best in the world; regrets that those purchasing products containing processed meat may be misled by incorrect labelling into purchasing an inferior product; calls upon the Government to close this loophole; and further calls upon supermarkets and other retailers to exceed minimum legal requirements by ensuring that only produce that has been produced in the United Kingdom is labelled as British. Tue, 09 Dec 2008 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2008-09/217 http://www.edms.org.uk/2008-09/180.htm That this House pays tribute to the range of excellent locally-produced food available across the United Kingdom; acknowledges that transporting food over long distances is bad for the environment; salutes the work of the farmers' markets and food festivals in promoting the regional variety and freshness of food; congratulates Trethowan's Dairy in Llanddewi Brefi and Teifi Farmhouse Cheese in Llandysul on using traditional methods to produce their award-winning cheese; encourages supermarkets, schools and the public sector more generally to source much more of their food locally; and calls upon the Government to provide extra funding to regional development agencies, tourist boards and other local bodies to support the production and sale of food locally. Mon, 08 Dec 2008 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2008-09/180 http://www.edms.org.uk/2008-09/107.htm That this House congratulates the Federation of Small Businesses on their Keep Trade Local campaign; notes that local high streets are increasingly under threat with 2,000 local shops closing each year; believes small businesses form an essential part of local communities and economies; and calls on hon. Members to source their Christmas dinners from small independent retailers in their constituencies in order to support local businesses at this time of economic difficulty. Thu, 04 Dec 2008 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2008-09/107 http://www.edms.org.uk/2008-09/49.htm That this House notes that the European Commission expects early in 2009 finally to produce proposed maximum permitted levels for vitamins and minerals in food supplements in accordance with Article 5 of the Food Supplements Directive; notes that despite lobbying by officials of the Food Standards Agency and the involvement of the Minister, there remains a very real prospect that levels will be set which require the removal from the UK market of many popular higher potency supplements; expresses its profound concern that a measure which the Commission has claimed is intended to remove barriers to trade in supplements will restrict the choice available to British consumers and leave them exposed to the additional risks of sourcing their chosen products from unregulated overseas internet and mail order suppliers; fears that independent health food retailers, already hard-hit by the economic downturn, will be forced out of business by this restrictive legislation; invites the Government to reinvigorate its lobbying in Europe at the highest political level to save our supplements; and congratulates Consumers for Health Choice on keeping this issue so firmly on the political agenda both at home and in Europe. Wed, 03 Dec 2008 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2008-09/49 http://www.edms.org.uk/2008-09/60.htm That this House is concerned that some supermarket low-cost line foods such as pork sausages and fish pies contain less than 10 per cent. of pork or fish, respectively, while being bulked out with ingredients such as water, animal fats and sugar; and believes that such practices are a threat to the nation's health and that such products should not be misrepresented as pork sausages or fish pies when their nomenclatured content is so low. Wed, 03 Dec 2008 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2008-09/60 http://www.edms.org.uk/2008-09/72.htm That this House understands the public concern caused by the development of genetically modified organisms; believes that consumers have the right to choose non-GM foods and that all foods containing GM material should be clearly labelled as such; further notes that it is scientifically established that the presence of GM can be traced down to, or close to 0.1 per cent. and believes that this should be the trigger point for GM labelling; and calls on the Government to ban any commercial planting of GM crops until or unless science shows that this would be safe for people and the environment, and until or unless issues of liability and crop segregation are resolved. Wed, 03 Dec 2008 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2008-09/72 http://www.edms.org.uk/2008-09/79.htm That this House believes that British consumers are entitled to know exactly how and where the food they are eating is produced, and that clear and unambiguous labelling stating the country of origin of the major ingredients is required to achieve this; and further believes that this will level the playing field for British farmers and enable British consumers to show their preference for home-grown food which is produced to high standards of animal welfare, health and safety and environmental protection. Wed, 03 Dec 2008 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2008-09/79 http://www.edms.org.uk/2008-09/96.htm That this House notes with concern that an estimated average of 12,000 tonnes of meat products enter the country illegally each year from countries outside the EU; recognises that illegal meat imports present serious risks to both animal and human health, and threaten the survival of many species in the wild; regrets that only one in every 25,000 seizures of illegal meat results in a prosecution; and calls on the Government to improve border security via the introduction of a UK border police force and end the leniency shown to smugglers who are endangering human and animal health. Wed, 03 Dec 2008 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2008-09/96 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/2444.htm That this House observes with frustration the implementation of EU regulations which prevent supermarkets and food vendors from selling fruit and vegetables of non-prescribed size and shape; applauds the work of several supermarket chains who have brought this matter to the attention of the public; notes the estimates that imperfect looking fruit and vegetables would be about 40 per cent. lower in price than perfect ones; further notes the benefits that this price reduction would bring to many families struggling during the current economic downturn; and encourages the members of the EU Commission to vote to abolish these regulations when they are voted on 12th November 2008. Thu, 06 Nov 2008 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/2444 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/2411.htm That this House commends the black pudding makers of Stornoway for their distinctive and high quality product, which is enjoying a growing reputation; welcomes the increased export of Stornoway black pudding from the Western Isles; regrets the marketing of black pudding not made in Stornoway but which uses the name of Stornoway on its labelling; calls on the Government to investigate the possibility of protecting the origin or geographical status for genuine Stornoway black pudding; and encourages all Scots and others to sample the delights of real Stornoway black pudding. Tue, 04 Nov 2008 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/2411 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/2367.htm That this House is concerned by the dramatic rise in obesity and diet-related disease across the UK; recognises a major contributing factor to be excessive consumption of foods high in fat, sugar and salt; acknowledges the need for simple front of pack labelling with information about the levels of fat, sugar and salt in foods to enable consumers to make healthier choices; welcomes the Food Standards Agency's current evaluation of all front of pack labelling schemes to identify which system performs best to give consumers the information they need; and calls on food retailers and manufacturers to end the confusion caused by the proliferation of different schemes and to commit to adopting whichever single labelling approach is found by the Food Standards Agency to perform best for consumers. Tue, 28 Oct 2008 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/2367 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/2128.htm That this House notes the shortage of allotments in Shrewsbury; further notes that this shortage is leading to long waiting lists for land by residents who wish to grow their own vegetables; and urges the local authority to step up its efforts to provide more land for allotments in Shrewsbury. Tue, 22 Jul 2008 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/2128 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/1917A1.htm after `marque', insert `, and not to purchase from anywhere else in the world meat produced to lesser welfare standards.'. Tue, 22 Jul 2008 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/1917A1 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/2120.htm That this House congratulates the Chinese government on its decision to ban the sale and consumption of dog meat during the Olympic Games this summer; applauds China's willingness to listen to the wishes of the international community; calls on the Chinese government to extend its temporary policy to become a permanent change to the country's approach to animal welfare; and asks the Chinese government to acknowledge the British attitude to dog ownership by recognising that a dog is for life, not just for the Olympics. Mon, 21 Jul 2008 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/2120 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/2082.htm That this House notes that in the last 20 years the number of people with food allergies has trebled; further notes with concern that last year 6,000 people were admitted to hospital with allergic reactions; recognises the importance of the proper handling of allergens in eating establishments; urges chefs and caterers in all eating establishments to improve their awareness of food allergens in their menus; and welcomes the Food Standards Agency's research in this area and its work to increase understanding of food allergens and intolerances amongst caterers and chefs to ensure that members of the public eating out are aware of all dietary restrictions. Thu, 17 Jul 2008 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/2082 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/2042.htm That this House calls for procurement policies on the purchasing of food supplied by farmers to supply the supermarkets and shops in their local area; recognises the quality of locally-grown and reared produce; further calls for efforts to ensure less environmental damage by reducing the number of food miles; further calls for the creation of sustainable communities by bringing together farmers and buyers; and further calls for the establishment of local farm co-operatives to help build relationships between food outlets and their neighbourhood farmers. Tue, 15 Jul 2008 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/2042 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/2030.htm That this House notes the Competition Commission has recently released its final report following a two year investigation into the grocery sector, which found evidence that some supermarket companies have systematically abused their financial position with a number of their overseas suppliers; and believes it essential that the UK Government demonstrates its continuing commitment to delivering a fair deal to overseas workers by their adoption and implementation of the Commission's Report recommendations which include the establishment in the UK of an independent ombudsman for this sector, given the necessary powers to take effective action against any UK operating company found guilty of trading abuse of those within its supply chains. Mon, 14 Jul 2008 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/2030 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/2015.htm That this House notes the importance of Asian restaurants to the British economy; notes that these exclusive culinary excellence awards benefit the Roko Cancer Charity who are assisting thousands of of cancer sufferers; congratulates Labas Miah of the Panhar Restaurant in Blyth, Northumberland on his prestigious award from the Tiffi Club as runner up in the awards; and further notes that the Panhar restaurant was representing the North East Region and has raised the profile of that region. Thu, 10 Jul 2008 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/2015 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/2018.htm That this House calls for the launch of local food procurement policies to be imposed on supermarkets, schools, universities and hospitals; further calls on the Government to encourage supermarkets to commit themselves to local competition policies to promote local self-reliance, regeneration of local communities and sustainable local economy; further calls for taxes on supermarket food to be based on the road and air miles that stock travels to encourage local sourcing; and notes that the current supermarket code of practice requires legal strengthening by the appointment of an independent ombudsman to secure and regulate fair trade between supermarkets and local suppliers. Thu, 10 Jul 2008 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/2018 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/1984.htm That this House notes that when the participants at the G8 Heads of Government summit in Hokkaido, Japan, on 8th July discussed global food shortages over dinner, the menu comprised corn-stuffed caviar, smoked salmon and sea urchin, pain surprise style, hot onion tart, winter lily bulb and summer savoury, a folding fan modelled tray decorated with bamboo grasses, including kelp-flavoured cold Kyoto beef shabu-shabu, asparagus dressed with sesame cream, iced fatty flesh of tuna fish, avocado and jellied soy sauce and Japanese herb shiso, boiled clam, tomato, shiso in jellied clear soup of clam, water shield and pickled conger dressed with vinegar soy sauce, boiled prawn with jellied tosazu vinegar, grilled eel rolled around burdock strip, sweet potato, fried and seasoned Goby with soy sauce and sugar, hairy Crab Kegani bisque soup, salt-grilled bighand thornyhead with vinegary water pepper sauce, milk-fed shiranuka lamb flavoured with aromatic herbs and mustard, roasted lamb and cèpes and black truffle with emulsion sauce of lamb's stock and pine seed oil, a special cheese selection, lavender honey and caramelised nuts, followed by a G8 fantasy dessert and coffee served with candied fruits and vegetables; further notes that the wine list comprised Le Reve grand cru champagne, Japanese saki, Corton Charlemagne 2005, Chateau Latour burgundy, Ridge California Monte Bello 1997 and Tokaji Essencia 1999 from Hungary; believes that such gastronomic extravagance was utterly inappropriate; and calls upon future G8 meetings to be organised taking into account the principles of resource sustainability. Tue, 08 Jul 2008 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/1984 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/1971.htm That this House notes that on 9th June Lyndale Foods Limited was placed into administration; further notes that the Lyndale Chairman and Chief Executive then bought Sayers the Bakers Limited, which was only established on 1st May 2008, and to whom the profitable parts of Lyndale Foods Limited had been sold; is concerned that 450 workers have lost their jobs in this process, and another 250 at Peter Hunts remain at risk, who will have to wait six weeks for redundancy payments, which will now be paid by Government; is further concerned by the apparent conflict of interest of BDO Stoy Hayward LLP which acted both as business restructuring consultants to Lyndale and as administrators when Lyndale was deliberately put into administration; and therefore calls on the Government to close the loophole in the law that allows employers to evade their legal duties to consult and to abandon their financial responsibilities to their staff and to defraud the taxpayer in this way. Mon, 07 Jul 2008 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/1971 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/1977.htm That this House condemns the expected launch in the UK of the high energy drink Cocaine later this summer; notes that the American firm which developed this drink sells it as the legal alternative to the class A drug; further notes that it contains substances that numb the throat to simulate the effect of taking cocaine; welcomes the comments made by Drugscope that this is cynical and irresponsible marketing; believes that this drink may glamorise drug taking; and calls on the Government to stop its launch this summer. Mon, 07 Jul 2008 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/1977 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/1914.htm That this House calls attention to the trafficking of an estimated 12,000 children into slavery on cocoa farms in Cote d'Ivoire to make the chocolate that is consumed in the UK; notes with dismay that the cocoa industry will not meet its commitments to eradicate the worst forms of child labour in supply chains by 1st July 2008, and thus it continues to profit from modern-day child slavery; is concerned with the lack of Government pressure on the industry to uphold children's rights; calls on the cocoa industry to guarantee its products are not made by trafficked children; and further calls on the Government to hold chocolate manufacturers to account. Mon, 30 Jun 2008 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/1914 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/1917.htm That this House deplores the action of institutional shareholders of Tesco plc in voting against a resolution to ensure that chicken rearing standards are improved; congratulates TV cook Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall for his campaign which sought to persuade Britain's largest food retailer to upgrade its minimum conditions to the RSPCA's `Freedom Food' marque; urges all other food retailers to adopt these minimum conditions and inform customers that they have done so; urges people in the meantime to boycott the purchase of chickens at Tesco stores; and calls on the Government to make it a requirement for all those involved in chicken rearing to meet the RSPCA's minimum conditions. Mon, 30 Jun 2008 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/1917 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/1819.htm That this House notes the significant difficulties and hardship caused to many households across the United Kingdom over the past 12 months due to the spiralling costs of fuel, food and other essential items; and calls upon the Government to review the significant increase in revenue obtained through the escalation in crude oil prices during that same time, and introduce fiscal measures using the increased revenue to assist those families and individuals on medium and lower incomes as a matter of urgency. Tue, 17 Jun 2008 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/1819 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/1708.htm That this House notes and is greatly concerned by the global food crisis; further notes that little action has been taken to increase British food production or to enhance food security at a time of rising food prices and concern about the future security and availability of worldwide food production; realises that Britain will not be exempt from the global food crisis; and calls on the Government to take positive action to support farming and food production in Britain in order to ensure a secure supply of affordable food for people at home and abroad. Thu, 05 Jun 2008 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/1708 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/1689.htm That this House welcomes the Learning Along the Food Chain DVD commissioned by Organic Centre Wales and FACE Wales, which seeks to promote understanding of how food is produced amongst school students, using farm visits, gardening and cooking to promote healthy eating and care for the environment; applauds Nick Rebbeck of Learning on the Farm for producing the bilingual DVD; notes that as demand for locally sourced food increases it is important that children are made aware of the work done by farms to provide food; and congratulates everyone involved with the Learning Along the Food Chain project. Tue, 03 Jun 2008 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/1689 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/1660.htm That this House is concerned that children and young people with cancer are sometimes offered food in hospital which is unappetising and unresponsive to their needs; considers food and nutrition to be vital to these children and young people who need to keep up their immunity from infection, whose taste buds change as a result of chemotherapy, and who will be in hospital for some time; notes with concern that a survey of families by the children's cancer charity CLIC Sargent shows that a majority of families saw their food spending increase while their child was undergoing cancer treatment and that 77 per cent. of respondents described hospital food negatively; welcomes CLIC Sargent's new Fit to Eat guidelines for hospitals; and calls on the Government to renew its commitment to improve hospital food and ensure that all children with cancer are served food in hospital which is fit to eat. Mon, 02 Jun 2008 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/1660 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/1615.htm That this House recognises the huge contribution made by the curry industry to UK society and the economy; notes the dependence of this industry upon skilled migrant labour and the subsequent concerns resulting from the recent tightening of immigration rules; calls on the Government to promote the training of chefs of curry cuisine from amongst the UK Bangladeshi community as an immediate measure; suggests that visas be extended for professional chefs already working in the UK curry industry; and urges that consultation with EU partners about whether the highly skilled migrant scheme should be extended to these specialists chefs. Tue, 20 May 2008 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/1615 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/1559.htm That this House welcomes the decision of the Food Standards Agency not to push ahead with its plans to privatise meat inspection; congratulates the campaign run by Unison to draw attention to the dangers of privatisation; and considers that a period of stability is necessary in this industry in order to ensure that only the best quality meat is available for sale as a prerequisite of keeping most of this industry in the public sector. Wed, 14 May 2008 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/1559 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/1556.htm That this House notes that British Airways has stopped serving beef as part of its in-flight service citing religious restrictions as part of its justification; condemns this decision as wrong-headed and tokenistic; and calls on British Airways to recommence serving British beef, some of the finest food to be found anywhere in the world. Tue, 13 May 2008 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/1556 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/1518.htm That this House welcomes recent consumer research undertaken by the Mirror Group newspaper reader panel on front of pack guideline daily amounts (GDA) nutrition labelling that showed 90 per cent. of those polled were aware of the labels, 63 per cent. of those polled had used the labels, that 85 per cent. of those polled found them easy to understand and 82 per cent. of those polled thought they contained all the information they wanted; considers it encouraging that GDA labelling has now been adopted by 64 major food companies and appears on the front of pack on more than 25,000 products in UK supermarkets; and urges more manufacturers and retailers to adopt the GDA scheme in order to help consumers make informed food choices. Thu, 08 May 2008 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/1518 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/1481.htm That this House notes that China is the fastest growing major economy in the world and India the second fastest; further notes that China will soon overtake the United States as the world's single biggest source of carbon emissions; expresses its concern at the role played by the growing demand for biofuels in world food price increases; is alarmed at the World Bank's prediction that food price inflation could set the fight against Third World hunger back by seven years; urges the Government to do all it can to help tackle global food poverty; recommends that the UK leads on change to regulations to drop any requirement to divert crops to fuel, as arable land is needed for food; further recommends that the Government uses its leverage to persuade the US, China and India to proceed on a multilateral basis to tackle climate change; and recognises that if the UK proceeded unilaterally it could drive fuel-intensive industries into jurisdictions with less stringent regulatory and fiscal regimes, which would cost British jobs whilst failing to reduce the world's total carbon output. Tue, 06 May 2008 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/1481 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/1471.htm That this House is concerned about the rising cost of rice which is causing problems for many South Asian restaurants and takeaways; condemns the EU for imposing tariffs of up to 65 euros per ton on basmati (brown long grain) rice from Thailand, Egypt, Uruguay and the US; believes in the principle of free trade; and therefore calls on the Government to regain trade policy from the EU and abolish these tariffs for the benefit of these restaurants, takeaways and the customers they serve. Thu, 01 May 2008 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/1471 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/1453.htm That this House notes that current movements in energy and food prices are in conformance with the predictions as to what would happen as oil production peaks; and calls for the Government urgently to review its predictions as to when peak oil occurs with a view to determining whether or not urgent policy adjustments are called for. Tue, 29 Apr 2008 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/1453 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/1434.htm That this House notes the frequent reports of a worsening world food crisis; further notes the UK Chief Scientist's warning over this and that biofuel programmes have delivered a `major shock' to world food prices; further notes that over 25,000 people die of hunger-related causes daily, and that the caloric intake of the poorest falls by 0.5 per cent. with every one per cent. rise in food prices, according to the World Bank; further notes a World Food Programme spokesman's comment that there is now `a very great emergency crisis' in Asia, with rice prices rising 50 per cent. in one fortnight in this spring 2008, commodities being interlinked; further notes the dramatic upsurge in South American deforestation rates in 2007, linked to the food commodities shock; further notes the EU Joint Research Centre's comments in its report, Biofuels in the European Context, that `the costs of EU biofuels outweigh the benefits', irrespective of a switch towards second generation cellulosic biofuels, and that greater emissions savings can be achieved by not having a biofuel target, which may not even save emissions if the resulting deforestation and other consequences are considered; therefore echoes the calls by the Environmental Audit Committee and Defra's Chief Scientific Adviser for a moratorium on the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation; further calls on the Government to suspend support for directly target-based incentives for biofuels in European legislation, namely in the EU Renewable Energy Directive and the EU Fuel Quality Directive; and urges a wider pullback in biofuel programmes, including in the US, in order to achieve substantial food price rise reversals. Mon, 28 Apr 2008 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/1434 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/1435.htm That this House notes with interest the Friends of the Earth report Losing Ground on the many adverse human rights and environmental effects of large-scale palm oil plantations in Indonesia and Malaysia; further notes the widespread reports from the global South of human rights abuses and harm to local environments amid the advance of monocultures associated with the present commodities shock and biofuel drive, including of palm oil elsewhere and of soya, cotton, sugarcane and jatropha; further notes that 11,000 villagers are being displaced in Tanzania by jatropha plantations cultivated for the UK firm Sun Biofuels; urges that British and European decision-makers consult more actively with Southern non-governmental organisations when devising trade and energy policies; and also recognises the need to reduce the UK's ecological footprint in its national choice of energy sources, and the value of individuals doing so within a balanced diet by reducing consumption of animals. Mon, 28 Apr 2008 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/1435 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/1442.htm That this House deplores recent inflammatory media coverage of food supplements containing anti-oxidants; notes that the study by the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews is a rewrite of one published in 2007 and already criticised by experts for selective use of available data focusing on studies of sick populations often using dosages much higher than those sold in the United Kingdom; further notes that millions of people have taken food supplements over many years with demonstrable improvements in health outcomes; welcomes the Government's proportionate, science-based approach to the setting of maximum permitted levels for nutrients in supplements; and encourages Ministers to ensure that the implementation of the Food Supplements Directive does not lead to consumers being denied access to safe and popular higher potency vitamin and mineral supplements. Mon, 28 Apr 2008 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/1442 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/1419.htm That this House notes the work of the Trussell Trust, which aims to reduce poverty, deprivation and despair at the point of need; applauds its establishment of local food banks which collect and distribute basic food and vouchers to many thousands of people in crisis situations; welcomes the Trust's decision to open franchised food bank networks in over 20 towns and cities from Cornwall to Inverness; and encourages the Trussell Trust to spread its network further. Thu, 24 Apr 2008 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/1419 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/1356.htm That this House notes the enormous economic contribution made by immigrants into Britain through the restaurant trade and other industries; notes that many restaurants are having great difficulty finding staff owing to visa restrictions on the entry of workers from outside the European Union, while at the same time significant numbers of such workers are already in the UK but whose temporary work permits have expired; and therefore believes that enabling these workers to work legally through an extension of their permits makes economic sense and would avoid them having to return to countries outside the EU in order to apply for their permits from there, where there is the very real possibility these permits would be refused. Mon, 21 Apr 2008 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/1356 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/1335.htm That this House notes that it is currently permissible for meat and other products to be produced overseas, imported into the United Kingdom and processed and then labelled as British; notes actual British meat to be of a very high standard, and that British animal welfare standards are some of the best in the world; regrets that those purchasing meat may be misled by incorrect labelling into purchasing an inferior product; calls upon the Government to close this loophole; and further calls upon supermarkets and other retailers to exceed the prescriptions of law by ensuring that only that produce that has been produced in the United Kingdom is labelled as British. Thu, 03 Apr 2008 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/1335 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/1325.htm That this House welcomes the launch, with the support of the Daily Mirror newspaper, of the FULL campaign for free, universal, locally-sourced lunches in UK schools; believes that introducing free, hot and healthy school meals and stay on site policies would be a major step in the fight against child obesity, remove the stigma of free school meals for some children, increase educational achievement, encourage an environmentally sustainable approach to school food, discourage pupils from eating junk food and cut nuisance behaviour in local communities at lunchtimes; notes academic research which shows a direct link between diet and educational attainment; recognises that obesity is estimated to cost the public purse £3.5 billion a year; believes that the benefits of free school meals for all would far outweigh the cost; and urges the Government to make a full assessment of universal free school meals through the establishment of pilots. Wed, 02 Apr 2008 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/1325 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/1275.htm That this House welcomes the major contributions that Chinese, Indian, Malaysian and other ethnic restaurants, curry houses, takeaways and catering businesses make not only to culinary diversity, interest and excitement but also to the economy and British society in general; is concerned about their increasing difficulties in recruiting chefs and cooks of all kinds which have forced many to employ asylum seekers many of whom are now being dismissed or arrested under the Stop Illegal Working drive; feels that these problems are compounded by the new points-based system which requires unreasonably high English language skills at a level not attainable in the schools of their country of origin and formal qualifications not attainable by those who acquire their cooking skills from experience, often in family businesses; points out that all this has produced real difficulties for ethnic catering, excessive overtime hours, tens of thousands of staff shortages and in several cases closures of these small and medium enterprises; and observes that these problems are all brought out in the research report compiled for the Chinese Immigration Concerns Committee which comes to the conclusion that, if Chinese catering cannot quickly replace its workforce there is a real danger of a meltdown, a problem which also faces other ethnic catering businesses unless they are urgently recognised as an area of skill shortage with rules relaxed accordingly to allow urgent recruitment. Mon, 31 Mar 2008 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/1275 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/1259.htm That this House notes and is encouraged by Morrisons' decision to source all its beef, poultry, pork and lamb from the UK; recognises that this will have the effect of helping the British farming industry, reducing food miles and improving animal welfare; and calls on other supermarkets to follow suit. Wed, 26 Mar 2008 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/1259 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/1260.htm That this House is dismayed that cuts by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs have forced Food from Britain, the body responsible for promoting British food abroad, to close on 31st March 2009; recognises the valuable part played by Food from Britain in encouraging and supporting exporting UK food producers; notes the need for such a body; further notes the economic troubles at the Department; and calls on the Government to act before more valuable services are lost to the UK food and drink industry. Wed, 26 Mar 2008 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/1260 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/1249.htm That this House notes the study carried out by the Child Poverty Action Group in 2000-01 on school meals, which reported the stigmatisation of families and their children through receipt of free school meals; further notes that this study also reported that by extending entitlement to free school meals the disposable income of the poorest families could rise by up to £27 a week; and congratulates Bolton Council on its announcement of the introduction of free school meals to all starters at primary school in the first term from September 2008, with the hope that this can be extended to the full school year later. Thu, 20 Mar 2008 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/1249 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/1136A1.htm leave out from `untenable;' to end and insert `notes that a survey by leading children's cancer charity CLIC Sargent found that, overall, the quality of food provided to children and young people with cancer in hospital is rated as poor; further notes that adequate and effective nutrition can help speed recovery for these children; and urges the Government to work with best practice hospitals in ensuring that all children with cancer are offered decent food in hospital which is fit to eat'.' Wed, 12 Mar 2008 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/1136A1 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/1136.htm That this House notes that £3 per patient is spent on meals in hospitals, 70 pence per pupil is spent on meals in schools and up to £12 is spent on meals for prisoners held in police cells; is concerned that these figures are unjust and that the situation is untenable; and calls on the Government to conduct an immediate review of spending priorities in hospitals, schools and prisons. Fri, 07 Mar 2008 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/1136 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/963A1.htm leave out from `products;' to end and insert `but believes that restrictions on food advertising are justified given the extent of the problem.'. Tue, 04 Mar 2008 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/963A1 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/1021.htm That this House welcomes the announcement by Tate and Lyle that it is converting its sugar to Fairtrade; and notes that this is the biggest ever switch by a major company and a significant step forward for Fairtrade and urges other companies to follow their lead. Mon, 25 Feb 2008 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/1021 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/1002.htm That this House notes with interest the work being undertaken by the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit in relation to food and the role of the food industry; observes that currently over 1,000 people in the United Kingdom become obese every day; suggests that the Strategy Unit highlights the fact that one of the single most effective ways in which Government could improve public health is by a consistent message, across all agencies, that consumers who wish to avoid weight gain should consider low calorie options when choosing sweetened beverages; and observes that such an approach would be consistent with growing consumer preferences for diet drinks, require no legislation, and have no cost to the Exchequer. Thu, 21 Feb 2008 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/1002 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/973.htm That this House, recognising that 25th February to 2nd March has been designated Eating Disorders Awareness Week, notes with growing dismay the increasing number of young people, especially female, suffering from eating disorders; further notes with concern the number of websites encouraging millions of vulnerable young people to become anorexic or bulimic, falsely promoting eating disorders as a lifestyle choice and supplying tips on how to maintain their disorder in secret; believes that these sites should act responsibly towards young people; and calls on the Government to promote awareness of the dangers of these sites and provide support for those affected by eating disorders and their families. Wed, 20 Feb 2008 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/973 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/983.htm That this House deplores the extortionate costs of confectionery and drinks at many cinemas; condemns cinemas which remove customers for attempting to consume confectionery and drinks purchased outside; dismisses the notion that reducing prices of confectionery and drinks would automatically increase ticket prices; urges the Office of Fair Trading to investigate the high cost of confectionery and drinks in cinemas; and further supports a fairer deal for the public which would increase the number of visitors to cinemas and encourage wider support for the UK film industry. Wed, 20 Feb 2008 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/983 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/986.htm That this House notes and is saddened by the reduction in the number of UK dairy farms; notes that the quota price of milk has crashed from about 32 pence per litre in 1988 to about 1 pence per litre in 2008; recognises the role played in this by major supermarket chains in pushing down the price of dairy products with little regard for the need to get a fair price for farmers; and calls upon the Government to act to protect farms of all kinds to ensure security of food supply. Wed, 20 Feb 2008 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/986 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/987.htm That this House notes the concern of Asian restaurateurs that new immigration regulations are causing a shortage of tandoori and curry chefs; further notes that this shortage is threatening the viability of many restaurants that have contributed both financially and culturally to the UK; and calls on the Government to review the regulations, such as the need to speak good English before arrival, so as to ensure an adequate supply of temporary work visas for tandoori and curry chefs. Wed, 20 Feb 2008 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/987 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/988.htm That this House expresses concern at the continued practice of defining a pint of beer and lager as only 95 per cent. liquid; notes that this costs consumers over £400 million annually; supports the call from the Campaign for Real Ale that a `pint' should be a `pint'; and calls upon the Government to legislate for a pint to be defined as 100 per cent. liquid. Wed, 20 Feb 2008 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/988 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/954.htm That this House welcomes Jamie Oliver's exposé on Channel 4 of the gassing of unwanted male chicks with carbon dioxide, which induces gasping for breath; understands that this practice is common across battery, barn and free range egg systems; seeks the abolition of this practice as a matter of humanity; further deplores Tesco's decision to offer £1.99 chickens, coming soon after Sainsbury's and the Co-op have promised to raise their minimum chicken welfare standards; and congratulates Marks and Spencer on its market-leading standards for farm animal welfare, recognised by Compassion in World Farming. Tue, 19 Feb 2008 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/954 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/963.htm That this House welcomes the Advertising Standards Authority's recent data that indicate that there has been 100 per cent. compliance from food and drink companies with regulations introduced by Ofcom in 2007 to restrict the advertisement of high in fat, sugar and salt products; and strongly opposes attempts to introduce further restrictions on food advertising, which will do nothing to reduce obesity but will further undermine the economics of commercial broadcasting and non-broadcast media in the UK. Tue, 19 Feb 2008 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/963 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/964.htm That this House supports the Eating Disorders Awareness Week from 25th February to 1st March, co-ordinated by beat, the eating disorders charity; notes the role that families and carers have in supporting the treatment and recovery of a patient; and urges the Government to ensure that existing National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence guidelines on involving and supporting families are adequately adhered to. Tue, 19 Feb 2008 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/964 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/951.htm That this House shares concerns about the sale of low priced alcohol in the UK's off trade; notes that high alcohol cider, which at present represents the cheapest source of consumer alcoholic product for sale in Britain's shops and supermarkets, carries an excise duty of only 15 pence per pint compared to the 58 pence levied on beers of comparable strength; and calls upon the Government to do more to dissuade consumers and suppliers alike away from the culture of cheap booze purchasing, whilst at the same time addressing the anomaly of duty rates between cider and beer in a future budget. Mon, 18 Feb 2008 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/951 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/871.htm That this House recognises the importance of the proper handling of allergens in loose foods in hospitals, schools and eating establishments by chefs and caterers; notes the recent publication of guidance by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) to increase understanding with chefs and caterers and to protect consumers with a food intolerance; further notes that 700 people in a constituency of 70,000 people have coeliac disease, equating to one in 100 people across the UK; further notes that people with coeliac disease have an autoimmune disease and the only medication possible is a life-long adherence to a gluten-free diet; further notes that for people with coeliac disease eating in hospital is restrictive and at times unsafe; urges the Department of Health to improve gluten-free choices in hospitals, and urges chefs and caterers in all eating establishments to improve gluten-free choices through specific training; calls for the monitoring of the impact of the new FSA guidance on the handling of allergens in loose foods to achieve greater understanding, awareness and gluten-free choices on menus; and supports Coeliac UK in its Food Without Fear campaign to raise awareness and understanding of coeliac disease with chefs and caterers to ensure that eating out through pleasure or need is freed from restrictions. Mon, 04 Feb 2008 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/871 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/770A1.htm leave out `United Kingdom Government' and insert `Scottish Executive'. Fri, 01 Feb 2008 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/770A1 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/804.htm That this House notes that a report by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations shows that livestock production is responsible for 18 per cent. of human-induced global greenhouse gas emissions which is a higher share than transport; further notes that the UK's consumption of meat and dairy products accounts for some 8 per cent. of UK consumption related greenhouse gases; further notes that the greenhouse gas emissions produced by the livestock sector are mainly in the form not of carbon dioxide but of methane and nitrous oxide; believes that the failure of the Climate Change Bill to set reduction targets for methane and nitrous oxide will make it difficult to address the emission of greenhouse gases by the livestock sector; and urges the Government to bring forward amendments to the Climate Change Bill to include reduction targets for methane and nitrous oxide. Mon, 28 Jan 2008 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/804 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/800.htm That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, praying that the Infant Formula and Follow-on Formula (England) Regulations 2007 (S.I. 2007, No. 3521), dated 13th December 2007, a copy of which was laid before this House on 20th December, be annulled. Mon, 28 Jan 2008 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/800 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/786.htm That this House supports a proposal initiated, funded and operated by Waitrose, to trial the introduction of tea trolleys with biscuits into arrival halls at UK international airports to provide a warm welcome to weary returning UK nationals and visitors from overseas queuing up for passport inspection. Fri, 25 Jan 2008 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/786 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/767.htm That this House congratulates Gordon and Sandra Hillan and all their staff at the Townhead Cafe, Biggar on, firstly, being named the Seafish Best Fish and Chip Shop in Scotland and then, on 23rd January 2008 in London, being awarded the title of Best Fish and Chip Shop in Britain; and commends them on all their hard work and endeavours in achieving such a prestigious award. Wed, 23 Jan 2008 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/767 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/770.htm That this House notes that haggis is an iconic Scottish dish which exemplifies the global appeal of Scottish premium food products; further notes that haggis generates around £1 million to the Scottish economy in the run-up to Burns night; notes further that the production of haggis requires ongoing investment in training to ensure Scotland has enough skilled butchers; regrets that in December 2007 financial support from the European Social Fund, which previously accounted for half of all public funding for training in Scotland's meat trade, was withdrawn; expresses concern that `Improve', the independent sector skills council which oversees training in the food and drink industry, has reported that a number of haggis producers in Scotland consider there to be a shortage of skilled workers in the craft butchery trade; and calls on the United Kingdom Government to do everything possible to ensure that the haggis industry in Scotland is adequately supported. Wed, 23 Jan 2008 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/770 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/622.htm That this House congratulates the Farmers' Guardian, Country Living Magazine and Waitrose on their successful campaign, Fair Trade for British Farming, and for the efforts of the campaign to promote a fair and sustainable price for the high quality food produced by British farmers; notes that most British consumers wrongly believe that the principles of fair trade are applied to British agriculture; acknowledges that over the last 10 years British farmers' income has fallen whilst that of major retailers has increased; recognises the important contribution British farming makes to the food supply, protecting the countryside, rural employment and combating climate change; further notes the recent Office of Fair Trading probe that uncovered price fixing by supermarkets; and calls on the Government to ensure that the Supermarket Code has real teeth and that a supermarket ombudsman is introduced. Tue, 18 Dec 2007 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/622 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/572.htm That this House congratulates the Dairy Council on staging the 2007 Ceremony of the Christmas Cheeses, which forms the beginning of the Chelsea pensioners' traditional Christmas celebrations; further congratulates William Kent, formerly of the Royal Artillery, and one of the oldest Chelsea pensioners, who had the honour of cutting the ceremonial cheese at this historic ceremony; notes that dairy products are a calcium-rich food for people of all ages; further notes that a good calcium intake is especially important for older people in order to minimise bone loss, which is a normal part of the ageing process; welcomes the work of the Royal Hospital in ensuring that dairy products play an important role in the diet of the Chelsea pensioners; and calls on the Department of Health to take steps to promote the consumption of calcium-rich sources of food such as dairy products. Wed, 12 Dec 2007 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/572 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/469A1.htm at end add `and congratulates Waitrose on being the first grocer to introduce faux gras for sale into the United Kingdom and for their achievements as a leading promoter of compassionate farming.'. Wed, 12 Dec 2007 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/469A1 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/540.htm That this House notes that 2008 is the United Nations Year of the Potato; believes that the humble tattie performs an important role in providing food security and alleviating poverty around the world; acknowledges the particular benefit to Europe of this aspect of the Columbian Exchange; and congratulates the Scottish Crop Research Institute and the City of Dundee for their initiative in hosting a major conference on global production and enhancing the international reputation of Scotland's scientific community. Tue, 11 Dec 2007 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/540 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/496.htm That this House notes the success of the Red Tractor Week logo in drawing attention to the quality of UK-produced food; congratulates Assured Food Standards, the independent organisation set up to manage the Red Tractor mark, which represents the interests of each of the key links, including the National Farmers' Union, the Ulster Farmers' Union, the Meat and Livestock Commission, Dairy UK and the British Retail Consortium, and the Food and Drink Federation and which liaises with the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; recognises that the scheme helps shoppers easily to find UK-produced fresh food and allows producers to use a distinctive logo on packs of foods which meet its strict criteria covering animal welfare, food transport and packing; and calls on the Government to work in close alliance with farmers, processors and retailers to promote British produce and support UK farming. Thu, 06 Dec 2007 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/496 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/469.htm That this House notes that foie gras is traditionally produced by over-feeding ducks and geese by forcing metal pipes down their throats until their livers have swollen to around 10 times the normal size; recognises that the production (but not the sale) of foie gras is banned in the UK; and calls upon the restaurant trade to consider moving to new brands of faux gras which has the support of the RSPCA and Compassion in World Farming, are produced from free-range ducks and geese and do not involve any force-feeding. Tue, 04 Dec 2007 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/469 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/445.htm That this House welcomes the Foresight Report Tackling Obesities: Future Choices; notes with considerable concern its forecast that, by 2050, 70 per cent. of girls and 55 per cent. of boys will be overweight or obese; also welcomes the study by the World Cancer Research Fund that demonstrates a link between poor diet and an increased risk of cancer; notes that an unhealthy diet is also linked to cardiovascular health problems, diabetes and mental health problems; welcomes the forthcoming introduction of the Food Products (Marketing to Children) Bill that seeks to introduce a 9 p.m. watershed for television advertising of unhealthy food and stop the promotion of unhealthy food to children across all non-broadcast media; and finally notes that this Bill is supported by a range of expert groups in the fields of health, consumer rights and children's welfare, as well as the majority of parents. Thu, 29 Nov 2007 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/445 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/429.htm That this House notes with concern the risk of importing cattle from Brazil which may be infected with foot and mouth; highlights the insufficient tracking of livestock movements coupled with breaches of cattle identification regulations which fall short of EU standards; supports the National Farmers' Union in its demands that all Brazilian beef should be banned from being imported into the EU until the necessary standards are met; and calls on the Government to work with the EU in order to implement such a ban. Wed, 28 Nov 2007 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/429 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/440.htm That this House pays tribute to the range of excellent locally-produced food available across the United Kingdom; acknowledges that transporting food over long distances is bad for the environment; salutes the work of farmers' markets and food festivals in promoting the regional variety and freshness of food; congratulates Trethowan's Dairy in Llanddewi Brefi and Teifi Farmhouse Cheese in Llandysul on using traditional methods to produce their award-winning cheese; encourages supermarkets, schools and the public sector more generally to source much more of their food locally; and calls upon the Government to provide extra funding to regional development agencies, tourist boards and other local bodies to support the production and sale of food locally. Wed, 28 Nov 2007 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/440 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/383.htm That this House notes the concern over the amount of genetically modified animal feed used in dairy and pig farming; acknowledges that concerns have been raised over labelling of products, such as milk and meat, as GM-free when the animals were reared using GM products; understands that the only food standard that guarantees non-GM involvement is organic; and calls on the Government to review food labelling criteria and introduce requirements to give consumers an informed choice between GM and GM-free foods. Mon, 26 Nov 2007 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/383 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/357.htm That this House welcomes the sympathetic consideration given by Ministers to representations made by right hon. and hon. Members on behalf of the natural health products industry about problems with unfair and illegal competition from the Channel Islands; particularly welcomes the Government's considered view that the nutrition and health claim regulation, the food supplements directive and the medicines directive do apply to the Channel Islands under Protocol 3 of the Treaty of Accession; remains concerned that businesses from the Channel Islands continue to market directly to the United Kingdom mainland products which contain illegal ingredients or which are promoted using illegal claims thus jeopardising consumer safety; notes that in some cases such products also benefit from low value consignment relief and avoid liability for value added tax, seriously undermining the competitiveness of responsible UK suppliers; encourages Ministers to remain actively engaged in addressing these issues; and calls upon the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, the Food Standards Agency, Royal Mail, the Advertising Standards Authority, the Direct Marketing Association and trading standards officers to take urgent enforcement action and to continue to engage with the authorities in the Channel Islands to secure the effective implementation of the legislation without further delay. Wed, 21 Nov 2007 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/357 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/299.htm That this House recognises the importance of encouraging people to grow their own produce; further notes the level of demand for allotments amongst people of all ages; realises that in many areas there is a shortage of land for allotments despite the fact that local authorities have a statutory responsibility to provide allotments for local residents; and calls on the Government to ensure that all local authorities honour this statutory obligation in relation to allotments. Mon, 19 Nov 2007 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/299 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/268.htm That this House congratulates the British curry industry on its third successful British Curry Awards ceremony; recognises the contribution that the industry makes to the UK economy, representing £3.2 billion, 100,000 jobs and the enrichment of the national culinary experience; wishes the industry continued success during the next year; is concerned that the industry needs assistance to ensure that young people and skilled chefs are encouraged to enter the industry; and asks that the ability of the industry to recruit is taken into account in future policies determining workforce movement. Wed, 14 Nov 2007 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/268 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/189.htm That this House notes that over a year has passed since the Christmas saving company Farepak collapsed; further notes that the collapse forced many families into the arms of debt lenders who charge extortionate rates of interest; believes that the victims of Farepak are entitled to justice and that those responsible for the Farepak collapse should be held accountable for their actions; notes that many of the innocent victims of the Farepak collapse have not received any compensation; believes that compensation must now be made available; and calls on the Government to introduce legislation to ensure that a Farepak-style collapse cannot happen again and for the Government to publish the report into the collapse of Farepak. Mon, 12 Nov 2007 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/189 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/211.htm That this House notes that the forthcoming implementation of Article 5 of the Food Supplements Directive continues to pose a threat to the continued availability of many safe and popular higher potency vitamin and mineral supplements in the United Kingdom; welcomes the stated objectives of successive Ministers and Prime Minister of the outcome of this process; is alarmed that to date there is little evidence of European member states or the European Commission being willing to adopt a sensible, pragmatic and proportionate approach to the setting of maximum permitted levels for nutrients in supplements; and calls upon the Government to redouble its efforts in Europe to achieve a satisfactory regime for the regulation of such products in the interests of the millions of consumers who choose to use them to help achieve and maintain good health and of the hundreds of specialist retailers who rely upon them for the success of their businesses. Mon, 12 Nov 2007 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/211 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/125.htm That this House believes that mothers should be encouraged to breastfeed as this is in the interests of the long-term health of babies; recognises that for newborn babies this means breastfeeding on demand; further believes that newborn babies in care should also be breastfed on demand where this does not result in any risk to the baby; and calls for the Government to introduce guidelines to ensure that facilities are provided to ensure that newborn babies can be breastfed on demand. Wed, 07 Nov 2007 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/125 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/146.htm That this House welcomes the announcement by the Food and Drink Federation that it aims to reduce food packaging by 340,000 tonnes by 2010 and adopt other targets including cutting carbon emissions, reducing water wastage and food miles; urges further such cuts if the challenge of climate change is to be addressed; and congratulates the Cut Waste in Kendal campaign that is seeking to reduce packaging in South Lakeland and is working with local traders to discuss making Kendal a plastic bag-free town. Wed, 07 Nov 2007 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/146 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/148.htm That this House notes with concern that carbon dioxide emissions from food transport for UK consumption increased by five per cent. last year; further notes that imports by air increased by 31 per cent. in 2006, equivalent to 65,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide; believes that the British farming industry and British consumers can play a key role in reducing food miles; calls on the Government to facilitate this by introducing country of origin food labelling; and urges public bodies to do everything they can within EU rules to source food for schools, hospitals and other public institutions locally. Wed, 07 Nov 2007 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/148 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/149.htm That this House believes that the £2 billion public sector food budget could make a significant contribution to reducing food miles and boosting the rural economy; is astonished that only three per cent. of lamb fed to our armed forces is from British farms; notes the evidence in the Quality of Life Report which suggests that locally produced food need not be more expensive than imported food; urges public bodies to do everything they can within EU rules to source food for schools, hospitals and other public institutions locally; believes that it is wrong for taxpayers' money to be used to buy food which has been produced using methods that would be illegal in the UK; and calls on the Government to move towards a system where all publicly procured food meets British standards of production. Wed, 07 Nov 2007 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/149 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/15A1.htm leave out from `scientifically' to end and add `people's inalienable right not to eat GM food and that no further commercial planting of GM crops should be allowed until and unless there is clear evidence that GM produce is safe and the issue of cross-pollination is overcome.'. Wed, 07 Nov 2007 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/15A1 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/4.htm That this House notes that the Home Office's Statistics for Scientific Procedures on Living Animals for 2006 recorded a 368.4 per cent. rise in the number of animals used to test food additives, from 862 animals in 2005 to 4,038 animals in 2006; is concerned at the Written Answer of 11th October 2007 that states that these animals are being used to test ingredients such as stabilisers, sweeteners, colorants and flavouring agents; further notes that the 2006 statistics also recorded a 30.2 per cent. rise in the number of animals used for the purposes of other foodstuffs, from 5,742 animals in 2005 to 7,477 animals in 2006; and calls on the Government to back the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection's call to stop granting licences for experiments on animals for the purpose of testing food additives and other foodstuffs as a matter of urgency. Tue, 06 Nov 2007 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/4 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/15.htm That this House understands the public concern caused by the development of genetically modified organisms; believes that consumers have the right to choose non-GM foods and that all foods containing GM material should be clearly labelled as such; further notes that it is scientifically established that the presence of GM can be traced down to, or close to, 0.1 per cent. and believes that this should be the trigger point for GM labelling; and calls on the Government to ban any commercial planting of GM crops until or unless science shows that this would be safe for people and the environment, and until or unless issues of liability and crop segregation are resolved. Tue, 06 Nov 2007 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/15 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/16.htm That this House believes that British consumers are entitled to know exactly how and where the food they are eating is produced and that clear and unambiguous labelling stating the country of origin of the major ingredients is required to achieve this; and further believes that this will level the playing field for British farmers and enable British consumers to show their preference for home-grown food which is produced to high standards of animal welfare, health and safety and environmental protection. Tue, 06 Nov 2007 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/16 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/18.htm That this House notes with concern that an estimated average of 12,000 tonnes of meat products enter the country illegally each year from countries outside the EU; recognises that illegal meat imports present serious risks to both animal and human health, and threaten the survival of many species in the wild; believes that posters, leaflets and 11 sniffer dogs are grossly insufficient to prevent illegal meat imports entering the UK; regrets that only one in every 7,413 seizures of illegal meat results in a prosecution; and calls on the Government to improve border security and end the leniency shown to smugglers who are endangering human and animal health. Tue, 06 Nov 2007 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/18 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/25.htm That this House applauds the work that the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) and Marine Stewardship Council undertake to assist consumers in making informed choices about the seafood they buy and whether it comes from sustainably managed sources; notes the importance of effective and honest labelling; congratulates the efforts that Waitrose and Marks and Spencer have undertaken to source sustainably and their subsequent position at the top of the MCS's Sustainable Supermarket League Table 2007; further notes that supermarkets account for between 80 per cent. and 90 per cent. of fresh fish and shellfish sales; and calls upon retailers to act responsibly and source seafood products from sustainable fisheries. Tue, 06 Nov 2007 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/25 http://www.edms.org.uk/2007-08/28.htm That this House expresses concern about the economic and environmental impact of discards; notes with concern the estimate that two million tonnes of healthy fish stock are discarded each year; is further concerned that in some UK fisheries discard rates exceed 50 per cent. meaning that more fish are thrown back into the sea than are landed; is disappointed that the member states of the European Union were unable to end discards in 2006, as was the objective in the 2002 Community Action Plan to reduce discards of fish (COM(2002)656 final, 26th November 2002); notes the proposals outlined in the Commission Communication: A Policy To Reduce Unwanted By-catches And Eliminate Discards in European Fisheries (European Union Document No. 8179/07); is disappointed that not all EU member states have been providing discard data to the Commission's Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries; is further disappointed that it is not clear when the EU Discards Atlas Project will be completed; and calls upon the Government to press other EU member states to produce sensible policies to end discarding at the earliest available opportunity. Tue, 06 Nov 2007 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2007-08/28 http://www.edms.org.uk/2005-06/429.htm That this House welcomes the campaign by the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) for more regionally and locally produced foods to be protected under EU rules, which culminates at the CLA Game Fair at Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire from 22nd to 24th July; notes that only 29 products from the UK have been listed under Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) or a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI); further notes that this compares with 141 PDOs and PGIs in France and 148 in Italy; and calls on the UK Government actively to engage with the food industry in this country to raise awareness of this opportunity to protect regionally distinctive food and to promote regionally distinctive British food in Europe. Tue, 28 Jun 2005 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.edms.org.uk/edms/2005-06/429