The Outlaw Ocean Project

The Outlaw Ocean Project

I’m contacting you in light of our latest investigation which concerns the use of forced labor in China’s food processing industry, and a link we’ve discovered between companies engaged in such practices and two companies supplying seafood to the UK education sector - Birds Eye and Young’s Seafood.

Our research shows that UK educational facilities serve a range of white fish products sourced from Birds Eye and Young’s Seafood. Northseafood Holland and Unibond Seafood International are white fish suppliers to Nomad Foods brands, which include the Bird’s Eye, Findus and Iglo ranges retailing ac…

Ana ScanlanPress Officer at the Department of Education

Thanks for this – we’ll look into this for you and come back with some answers to your questions.

Ana ScanlanPress Officer at the Department of Education

Quick update on this – I’ve passed your query to the Department for Business and Trade, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, one of whom will come back to you before your deadline.

The Outlaw Ocean Project

Thank you for the update.

We had understood from gov.uk that the Department for Education Schools Commercial Team leads on the 'Buying for Schools' program, which delivers services to support schools in buying goods and services, including the frozen seafood relevant to our enquiry. Is this incorrect?

Can we expect a response from the Department for Education and, if not, why?

Should we also direct any further enquiries related to UK public procurement (in other sectors) to the Department for Business and Trade, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and the Department for Environme…

The Outlaw Ocean Project

Please be aware that our deadline expired yesterday and we haven't received any communication from the Department for Business and Trade, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs. If the Department of Education intends to respond to our enquiries please could you do so by close of business today?

Ana ScanlanPress Officer at the Department of Education

This would I’m afraid be one for those depts to come back to you as it’s more to do with supply chains than what is provided in schools. I’ll chase them up for you.