Select Committee on Agriculture Appendices



APPENDIX 3

Memorandum submitted by the Chief Executive, Food From Britain (C 4)

  During the Agriculture Select Committee's recent inquiry looking into Food From Britain, there were two Questions by Mr Austin Mitchell, MP, to which I undertook to provide subsequent answers.

  The first question, number 7 in the written evidence, related to the proportion of commodity trade and specialised foods. In broad terms, commodity trade accounted for some 14 per cent in 1998 and 11 per cent in 1999.

  The second relates to Question 45, where Mr Mitchell asked what percentage of the total export figure for food and drink was accounted for by whisky. The answer here is 23 per cent (£2 billion) of all UK food and drink exports.

  In addition, I would like to clarify the misunderstanding with Mr Mark Todd of the Committee, with regard to the discussion on initiatives in the East Midlands. The relevant regional taste group, Middle England Fine Foods (MEFF) which is supported by FFB funding and services, is playing a key role in East Midlands Development Agency's task force on the food and drink sector. Mr Todd, as MP for South Derbyshire, may be interested to hear also of the work being co-ordinated by MEFF and its appointed project officer, Ed Barket, under the banner of Leader II. MEFF is pivotal in the formulation of the East Midlands Development Agency's food and drink policy and its invitation from the RDA to work towards becoming the regional representative body for the sector.

  I hope that this additional information will complete the FFB evidence to the Committee.

15 May 2000


 
previous page contents

House of Commons home page Parliament home page House of Lords home page search page enquiries index

© Parliamentary copyright 2000
Prepared 25 May 2000