Newcastle North MP, Catherine McKinnell, has criticised the Secretary of State for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, Caroline Spelman, after receiving a disappointing response to a question on support for the North East’s food manufacturing sector in the Commons this morning.

Catherine said:

“As I explained to the Environment Secretary today, the food manufacturing industry is vitally important to Newcastle and the North East – with locally-based firms such as Greggs, Nestle and Warburton’s playing a really important role in the local economy.

“I wanted to know what specific action she is taking to develop and support this sector – whether through R&D support, capital allowances or helping to increase exports. It was incredibly disappointing to receive a completely vague reply, with no clear proactive measures outlined whatsoever.

“As the Secretary of State herself said, the food industry contributes more than £80billion to the UK’s economy. It also supports the employment of tens of thousands of people across the North East. It’s therefore really unacceptable that the Government doesn’t appear to have any strategy to help this sector to grow.”

Catherine McKinnell asked the following question during DEFRA questions in the House of Commons this morning (24th November):

Catherine McKinnell: What discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on (a) food prices and (b) support for British food manufacturing.

Caroline Spelman (Secretary of State for the Environment, Food & Rural Affairs): I have, in the normal course of business, discussed food prices and support for food manufacturing as part of the Government’s growth review, and we continue to work with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and UK Trade & Investment to help boost growth, exports and efficiency in the whole food chain.

Catherine McKinnell: I thank the Secretary of State for that answer. Food manufacturing is very important to the North East, especially to my constituency – firms such as Nestlé, Warburtons and Greggs play a really significant part in the local economy. What specific plans does her Department have, working alongside BIS, to support that vital sector, including through research and development and capital allowances, and by increasing exports, thereby helping to support tens of thousands of jobs in the North East?

Caroline Spelman: All the firms that the hon. Lady mentions are household names, and indeed the food industry contributes more than £80 billion to the UK economy. As I have said, I have had representatives from the Food and Drink Federation and from agri-food businesses in the Department to ask them what we can do to help them remove barriers to growth in trade. I have very good news to report: for the seventh year in a row, UK exports of food and drink have risen.