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Public Sector: Catering

Asked by Joe RobertsonConservativeDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled Answered 21 January 2025UIN 23654

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of the introduction of meat-free Mondays in public sector canteens.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner

Defra welcomes innovations that increase customer choice around food served in public sector settings. Defra is responsible for the Government Buying Standards for Food and Catering Services (GBSF) which apply to Government Departments and Agencies, Hospitals the military and prisons. These include rules for varying the types of food included on menus to ensure the nutritional needs of customers are met. However, we do not believe it is helpful to impose blanket menu restrictions on caterers: local canteen managers are better placed to decide what to serve, and when, based on local demand.

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