Food Supply Chain Fairness Bill – cross-party MP sponsors announced

Orkney and Shetland MP, Alistair Carmichael, has today agreed the 11 MP co-sponsors for the Food Supply Chain Fairness Bill, representing seven parties and constituencies from all corners of the United Kingdom. 

Mr Carmichael will introduce the Bill to the House of Commons with a ten-minute speech on Wednesday 19th March, following Prime Minister’s Question Time. 

The Bill is intended to introduce a range of provisions to get fairer prices for farmers and food producers across the UK, including strengthening the Groceries Code Adjudicator in terms of remit and resources, supporting greater public procurement of locally produced food, and enhanced origin labelling requirements. It fulfils Mr Carmichael’s commitment, made during the General Election last year, to reintroduce legislation to boost the powers of the Groceries Code Adjudicator.

Mr Carmichael is Chair of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee; five other members of the committee are sponsoring the Bill.

Mr Carmichael said:

“I am grateful to everyone who has agreed to sponsor the Food Supply Chain Fairness Bill, representing all sides of Parliament and all corners of the United Kingdom, from Cumbria to Wales and from Cornwall to Aberdeenshire. That goes to show just how broad the interest is in these issues and why the government should take the campaign seriously.

“MPs, farming unions and rural organisations from across the country are coming together to support fairer prices for farm produce – and I look forward to making the case for this Bill in the House of Commons tomorrow.”