In this pre Spring budget submission, we focus on considerations for the Treasury in four main areas: health, education, environment and rural affairs, and business.
It includes recommendations around updating the successful Soft Drinks Industry Levy and improving public health spending. It also recommends strengthening the nutritional safety net and investing in future generations via Healthy Start vouchers, free school meals and the school fruit and veg scheme.
We would also like to see HM Treasury set the farming and environment annual budget to deliver environmental public goods at scale to meet climate and nature targets, and in a way that makes it economically viable for all farm types. We would also like to see ring fenced investment to provide strategic support across the UK for investment in localised agrifood infrastructure and enterprise, such as hubs and processors.
Finally, there are recommendations on how to support small businesses, particularly bakeries, which do so much to revitalise our high streets, providing skills and meaningful, rewarding jobs for people in their communities.
Published Tuesday 7 February 2023
Sustain: Sustain The alliance for better food and farming advocates food and agriculture policies and practices that enhance the health and welfare of people and animals, improve the working and living environment, enrich society and culture and promote equity.
