Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Rt Hon Danny Alexander MP, joined food and drink manufacturers and members of the All-Party Parliamentary Food and Drink Manufacturing Groupto discuss the industry's '2020Vision to deliver 20% sustainable growth by 2020. Following the recent launch of the Government-backed Farming, Food and Drink Exports Action Plan to boost exports of British food and drink to high growth markets, this meeting sought to find other ways to unlock food and drink manufacturers' potential to deliver sustainable growth.

Top of the agenda were key industry issues including Britain's R&D capability, demand for British brands in developing export markets, reform of the tax system and the impending skills shortage. The Chief Secretary to the Treasury led the discussion, highlighting Government's work to support the industry in these vital areas.

Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Rt Hon Danny Alexander MP, said, “The food and drink industry has shown great resilience and adaptability in recent years. This Coalition Government is keen to support the future success of the industry by creating the right conditions for the sector to thrive.”

Jim Moseley, FDF President and Managing Director of General Mills UK, said: “UK manufacturers are determined to maximize their contribution to UK recovery and deliver sustainable growth. It is clear that we can achieve this with the right entrepreneurial approach from food businesses and the right regulatory framework from government.”