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PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE
Public Procurement: Net Zero - 11 May 2023 (Commons/Commons Chamber)

Debate Detail

Contributions from Kerry McCarthy, are highlighted with a yellow border.
Lab
Kerry McCarthy
Bristol East
19. What assessment he has made of the role of public procurement policy in helping the Government meet their net zero targets.
  10:10:12
Alex Burghart
The Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office
It is very nice to take another question from Bristol. Under our rules, Government suppliers are required to report their emissions and commit to the UK’s net zero target when bidding for contracts valued above £5 million per annum. If they fail to do so, they risk being excluded from procurement.
  10:10:48
Kerry McCarthy
I thank the Minister for that response. Around £5 billion a year is spent on public sector food and catering services, and the national food strategy—Henry Dimbleby’s version—said that public food procurement is dominated by a quasi-monopoly, so very big companies are involved. How does that fit in with the policy note on carbon reductions, and are the Government looking to food suppliers through those contracts to reduce their carbon emissions?
Alex Burghart
The hon. Lady asks an important question. It is true that net zero is a big principle for Government and feeds through into all our work, including the public procurement contract. We have had some important debates around this during the passage of the Procurement Bill.

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