Food report damning indictment on Government record

The Sustainable Development Commission published it's final report on Friday 25th March. It's report slams the government for having no plan to tackle rising food prices.

Shadow Environment Secretary Mary Creagh said “Families are feeling the squeeze from food prices which are rising three times faster in the UK than in other major countries. This final report from the Sustainable Development Commission is a damning indictment of the Tory-led Government’s inaction on food prices and security of supply.

“Feeding our nation should not be left to chance. It is time for DEFRA to show some national and international leadership on the health, social and environmental challenges facing the food industry.”

The SDC report, which can be downloaded here - bit.ly/eOLH0T - criticises the Government for an ‘insubstantial’ response to rising food prices, food security and environmental damage. It calls on the Government to ‘step up to the plate on sustainable food'.

Labour commissioned Food 2030 following the 2007 increase in food prices. This was the first national food strategy for 60 years.

The Sustainable Development Commission is being wound up by the Government at the end of March 2011. Latest OECD figures show food inflation rising three times as fast in the UK compared to other countries: 6.3 per cent compared to an average of 2.1 per cent for the G7 countries and 2.8 per cent for the EU.

Read Mary's response in the Guardian here: gu.com/p/2z2ea/tf