It is often the case in the supermarket that we are drawn to the products which are made in Britain. Not only out of a sense of wanting to support domestic producers, but in the knowledge that such a label is a mark of home-grown quality.
Such products are often labelled in store but not so easily accessible if ordering online.
It is for this reason that, alongside more than 100 other Members of Parliament, I have been calling for the introduction of a ‘Buy British’ tab on supermarket online stores.
In a letter to supermarket chief executives over the summer, we highlighted how many shops physically sell and label British produce, including fruit and vegetables, as well as grains, dairy items, potatoes, fish and meat.
By ensuring these are marked online as well as in store, it will help people in supporting British farmers, producers and suppliers while doing the weekly shop.
Indeed, eating food from Britain helps to cut down on carbon produced when importing goods from elsewhere.
In recognition of these points and more, I am pleased that the Government has now backed this measure as part of wider support for UK producers.
The Environment, Food & Rural Affairs Secretary has confirmed she is supporting our calls for industry-led action to signpost customers to ‘Buy British’ when shopping online, and will give her backing to campaigns to endorse the taste and quality of home-grown meat and dairy products.
Such a push builds on the commitment to keep producing 60 per cent of the food that this country consumes right here in the UK.
This simple change will assist customers in finding which products are produced in Britain.
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Earlier this month in Westminster Hall I raised the issue of flying schools which have closed. Many students have lost significant amounts of money after paying fees up-front for training in advance.
It is an issue the Department for Transport needs to address, particularly as the aviation industry continues its recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. A potential pilot shortage for the UK aviation industry must be averted.
In recent weeks I had the opportunity to host and speak at the launch of Hydrogen in Aviation, a new industry alliance which aims to ensure UK innovation and leadership in decarbonising the aviation sector.
The group will work with Government and industry on three key areas: supporting delivery of the infrastructure for Britain to be a global leader, ensuring the aviation regulatory regime is hydrogen-ready, and transforming the funding for hydrogen aviation research and development. I have also been pleased to highlight the importance of this work in the House of Commons.
Henry Smith MP
