Councils are being urged to use more British produce in school meals.

A Freedom of Information request has revealed Leicester City Council spends 60 per cent of its school meals budget on British food, while the county council spends 35 per cent on produce from this country.

The Countryside Alliance, which put in the request, is urging councils to use more local ingredients to help support the economy and British farmers.

It wants the Government to introduce a minimum British food buying policy for schools no lower than 60 per cent.

Deputy city mayor Councillor Rory Palmer said: "This is a very important issue which I'll be working on personally in the coming months.

"I want to see the council and the wider public sector in the city using as much locally-sourced and sustainable food as possible. This will help us reduce our carbon footprint as well as supporting local businesses.

"People are increasingly taking a keen interest in food production, wanting to know where their food is being sourced from and who has grown it.

"It's vital policy-makers respond to this and that's what we're determined to do."

The city's school food budget is £1.89 million this year, while the county council's is nearly £2.9 million for 2011-12.

A county council spokesman said: "The service has been working towards using as much locally and UK-sourced products as possible.

"This includes 100 per cent of the chilled meat used in Leicestershire schools being locally or UK-sourced, 63 per cent of frozen food and 56 per cent of fruit and vegetables."

Michelin starred chef Sean Hope, co-owner of The Olive Branch, in Clipsham, and The Red Lion, in Stathern, near Melton, supports the alliance's campaign.

He said: "It's very important to look after our own, particularly given the economy at the moment.

"Farmers need our support and we have a great soil and climate for providing seasonal vegetables throughout the year.

"This is something I feel passionately about."