Jo Gideon MP has urged the Government to improve diet and health outcomes in Stoke-on-Trent and back the National Food Strategy’s plans to revolutionise national food policy. Leading a Westminster Hall debate in the House of Commons on Wednesday, Jo spoke of the need to create a resilient, healthier, and more sustainable food system. She said:
“Many of the world’s greatest challenges, and parts of this Government’s agenda, directly relate to our food system. Rising levels of obesity, food insecurity and health inequalities, and the damage caused to the environment by the current system of food production demonstrate that ‘whole system change’ is needed.”
Jo also raised the issue of food and health inequalities affecting Stoke-on-Trent:
“Inequalities are particularly relevant in Stoke-on-Trent. Data shows that 41.4% of adults in Stoke-on-Trent eat the recommended 5-a-day of fruit and veg on a “usual day”. This was the lowest percentage recorded for any upper-tier local authority in England.
In line with the Government’s levelling up agenda, there must be a particular urgency in helping low-income families eat well. Improving the diets of the poorest households would have both immediate and long-term benefits, not just for those people who would live longer and in better health, but for increased productivity and to improve the economic outlook of the whole country.”
Responding, Jo Churchill, the Agriculture-Innovation Minister at the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs said:
“We are committed to rolling out the food strategy as soon as we can in order to transform the food system and support the important work under way across Government to ensure we are all as healthy as we can be.”
