2 Sisters boss warned after sending MPs Christmas gifts

The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee said festive packages of biscuits were sent to several members by Ranjit Singh Boparan, boss of the Black Country based firm.

Its chairman said the unsolicited gifts were 'inappropriate' and 'an unwarranted attempt to impugn the committee's impartiality', adding that they had been either returned or given to local food banks.

2 Sisters said the gifts were a 'goodwill gesture', which the company sent out to many external stakeholders.

The committee held a month-long inquiry into the food group's actions after an undercover report claimed workers at its West Bromwich site were changing the slaughter dates to extend the shelf life of meat.

Mr Boparan subsequently apologised for the scandal and pledged to improve standards at the factory, increase training for his workforce and install cameras to monitor staff.

The firm is one of the UK's largest chicken suppliers but it also provides biscuits, ready meals and frozen pizzas.

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Over the Christmas period, several committee members received packages with a mixture of Fox's and other tins of biscuits.

Labour's Paul Flynn, who sits on the committee, said the package contained 'around £100 worth' of goodies.

But 2 Sisters says the total cost of the gift was around £20.

Chairman Neil Parish, the Conservative MP for Tiverton and Honiton, said members had found the actions of Ranjit Singh Boparan, 2 Sisters' chief executive, 'very disappointing'.

"Sending gifts to committee members at a time when we are trying to rebuild trust in the poultry industry is most unhelpful," he added.

"Mr Boparan should instead concentrate on restoring confidence in our poultry supply chains, and we are keen to work with him to do so."

He wrote to the 2 Sisters chief executive asking him to 'avoid similar gestures in future'.

A 2 Sisters Food Group spokesman said: "Each gift was around eight packets of Fox's and Own Brand Biscuits, in addition to two tins or boxes of Fox's biscuits.

"The business sends these out every year as a goodwill gesture at Christmas to hundreds of external stakeholders.

"We have responded formally to Neil Parish on the above."

In September, the Food Standards Agency and supermarkets Aldi, Lidl, Sainsbury's and Marks & Spencer announced they would investigate allegations against 2 Sisters.