|
Petition title: Ensure that publicly procured foods in Wales are never exclusively vegan or vegetarian
Text of petition: The Chair of the National Infrastructure Commission in Wales has started a petition requesting that all publicly procured food in Wales should be vegetarian or vegan. What we eat is an individual's choice. It is an insult to the people of Wales, trying to dictate what we eat. It is an insult to the farmers in Wales trying to make a living. It’s also damaging to the Welsh economy. |
This petition was submitted in response to an earlier petition calling for “all publicly procured food in Wales to be vegetarian or vegan”. However, that petition fell short of gathering the 250 signatures required to be referred to the Committee.
The Minister for Economy, Vaughan Gething issued a written statement[EH1] in December 2022 emphasising the importance of the food sector to the Foundational Economy in Wales. He highlighting the scope for a more holistic approach to the public procurement of food and for more procurement of Welsh produce by Welsh public sector organisations.
In issuing the statement, the Minister also published ‘Buying Food Fit for the Future’[EH2] , an online food procurement resource. This includes a tool kit to aid procuring food more sustainably. Neither the statement nor the tool kit advocate mandating or precluding meat products.
The Minister for Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths, wrote to you in relation to this petition stating that the Welsh Government is currently working with partners to develop statutory guidance and regulations to support the Socially Responsible Procurement duties under the Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Act 2023.[EH3]
She says the guidance may provide an opportunity to share good practice in relation to socially responsible food procurement.
The Minister also emphasised: “it is for public bodies to take their own procurement decisions according to their needs so long as they do so within what the law permits. When offering a service such as food, public bodies will take account, so far as they reasonably can, of what consumers want to eat”.
Senedd Research is not aware of this specific issue having been raised in the Senedd recently.
|
Every effort is made to ensure that the information contained in this briefing is correct at the time of publication. Readers should be aware that these briefings are not necessarily updated or otherwise amended to reflect subsequent changes. |