Thumbs up for ‘positive’ King’s speech

The new government will introduce a wealth of measures in the next year to boost growth, the King’s Speech has confirmed.

Karen Betts, chief Executive, The Food and Drink Federation said it “very much supports” the government’s ambitious agenda.

“It’s a sound basis on which we can partner with government and others to deliver investment, growth and innovation; prosperity in our communities; and a strong everyday economy,” Betts added.

“The government’s vision for an industrial strategy is particularly welcome. We hope this will drive good regulation and a dynamic business environment, alongside effective cross-government and intra-sector engagement. There are huge opportunities here to seize, to ensure our industry – the UK’s largest manufacturing sector – drives economic growth and skills development up and down the country.

Betts said the FDF also welcomes the other measures included in today’s speech, including the New Deal for Working People.

“As an industry that employs half a million people, we look forward to engaging with government to ensure this policy works for both our workforce and the diverse range of employers in our sector, 97% of which are SMEs. It’s good to see too the announcement of the growth and skills levy, which we hope will help to address the chronic skills shortage we currently face, at all skill levels, from operators and engineers to food technologists and scientists.”

A positive Betts said the industry stands ready to partner with government to help to tackle obesity and poor diets. We welcome the clarity provided today on the implementation of HFSS advertising restrictions. We hope secondary legislation and guidance will follow quickly, to enable industry to prepare effectively for the changes.

“Our focus now turns to working with government to implement the policies they’ve set out. We’re confident that, with the right partnership with government, we can turn the challenges our sector is facing – from boosting science and innovation, to reaching net zero, and supporting healthier and more sustainable diets and lifestyles – into tangible opportunities for economic growth.”

Separately, The Food Foundation’s Hannah Brinsden, head of policy and advocacy, praised “The King’s Speech’s positive first steps on health, reiterating the government’s commitment for the NHS to focus more on prevention. This included specific legislation to restrict the advertising of junk food to children and banning sales of high caffeine energy drinks to children.

“However, if Labour is going to meet its ambition of achieving the healthiest generation of children in our history, they will need to go much further than this and take a wider range of steps to improve our food system,” she said tempering the enthusiasm.

Recent evidence showed children in England are getting shorter, that life expectancy at birth is decreasing, and children are more likely to have obesity and type 2 diabetes, highlighting just how important addressing this issue is.

Brinsden continued: “The King’s Speech also touched on issues of wealth creation, opportunities for all, and getting through the cost of living crisis, however there was no mention of the child poverty strategy previously committed to. With millions sadly still experiencing food insecurity across the UK, it was positive to see commitments around a better deal for workers, however more action is desperately needed to ensure everybody can access and afford a healthy and sustainable diet, including by enhancing benefits and strengthening existing nutritional safety nets such as Healthy Start and Free School Meals.”

The Cold Chain Federation (CCF), the UK’s leading voice for temperature-controlled logistics, welcomes the emphasis on innovation and economic prosperity outlined in His Majesty’s King’s Speech 2024. It also “stands ready” to partner with the new government to remove barriers hindering infrastructure development, help create the next generation of skilled workers and foster a more supportive environment for the sector’s growth.

Phil Pluck, CEO of the Cold Chain Federation, stated: “The measures announced today hold immense potential to drive positive change across the cold chain sector, benefiting businesses and the environment alike. The CCF is eager to collaborate with the new government to unlock prosperity across the UK. Our industry underpins the nation’s economic well-being. Our industry has been hit hard by the energy crisis over the past 24 months, so we are keen to see the detail of how GB Energy will help support energy-intensive industries such as ours.

As an industry we have made huge advances in converting to a greener future whilst still ensuring vital services to food and pharmaceutical storage and delivery. We look forward to continuing our partnership with government around schemes such as the Climate Change Agreement, but also to identify new ways in which government can encourage the cold chain sector to accelerate the up take of green and renewable energy schemes in temperature-controlled vehicles.”

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