Government pressed to re-examine food policy

The importance of agriculture and food manufacturing to the UK’s economy will be re-examined from today (31 March), following a call from Lantra and Improve Sector Skills Councils for the Government to acknowledge its impact.

A recent report commissioned by Whitehall and published by the UKCES, ‘Skills for Jobs: Today and Tomorrow’, suggests that both agriculture and food manufacturing were of low significance to the UK economy. It identifies other sectors, occupations and skills that the government will now focus on to meet the changing needs of the economy and labour market. Peter Martin, Chief Executive of Lantra, said, “Purely on economic grounds, the industries that make up the food supply chain, which are worth in the region of £155 billion and employs 3.6 million people, make a major and growing contribution to the UK economy. This must be recognised by the UKCES” Following a recent meeting with Lantra and Improve, the Chief Executive of the UKCES, Chris Humphries, has agreed to ‘look again’ at their report and will re-issue corrected information were there factors that had not been fully taken into account in the preparation of the report. Jack Matthews, Chief Executive at Improve, added, “This report effectively says that the food supply chain does not matter in this country, and that it is of no consequence if food and drink companies, like a number of big names have done already, relocate overseas. As such, it sends out completely the wrong message and runs contrary to recent Treasury statements made in support of the Budget and that given by Jim Fitzpatrick, Minister of State at Defra, in response to a recent question in Parliament.’ “Correcting the information contained in this report is vitally important as it will form the basis on which national and regional skills funding strategies are determined. Whoever is in government next must recognise the true contribution the food industry makes to the economy and be prepared to support employers accordingly.” Peter Martin concluded, "What’s more, in the light of predicted world food shortages, the recent Cabinet Office report ‘Food 2030' highlighted the need to increase investment in and the impact of education, training, research and technology transfer. It is clear from our conversations with the UKCES that they had taken no account of this major report into the food supply chain in the UK; this is a staggering oversight."　 To read ‘Skills for Jobs: Today and Tomorrow’ visit www.ukces.org.uk.

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