Food and drink manufacturing gets a voice in Parliament

Posted by Isobel Drake on 18th July 2008

An All Party Parliamentary Food and Drink Manufacturing Industry Group (APPG) has been launched in the United Kingdom to develop the profile of the UK’s biggest manufacturing sector and promote its interests in Parliament.

The group will also provide a point of reference for Parliamentarians who are not members but want to better understand topical issues such as increasing food prices; the impact of the food sector on the environment; or the work that the industry is doing to help consumers make healthier choices.

The Group has over 40 Parliamentarians as members and includes some very experienced and influential representatives, according to the Food and Drink Federation (FDF).

Bill Wiggin, MP was confirmed as Chair and believes the launch of the group is pivotal to the future success of the industry. “I’m honoured to have been appointed as Chair of this important Group. The food and drink manufacturing industry is one of the largest sectors in the UK, employing 470,000 people,” he advised. “A key aim of this Group will be to see that this significant industry is supported and represented in important policy debates about its future.”

The Group is an initiative of the FDF, who promote the interests of the UK’s food and drink manufacturing sector.

More information about the concept can be found at their website: www.appgfooddrink.org.uk/.