Declares that there is an online Petition requesting that Parliament has a debate on UK hunger and the rise in food bank use, which has received over 130,000 signatures.
The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government to hold a debate on UK hunger and the rise in food bank use as soon as possible.
And the Petitioners remain, etc.—[Presented by Maria Eagle, Official Report, 9 December 2013; Vol. 572, c. 1P.]
[P001311]
Observations from the Secretary of State for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
A Parliamentary debate on food banks and food hunger was held after the date of this petition on Wednesday 18 December 2013. The benefits system supports millions of people who are on low incomes or unemployed and provides further support such as hardship payments, short term benefit advances and budgeting loans. While it is not the Government’s role to control the price of food, the impact of food price inflation is a real concern for this Government. DEFRA monitors food prices and their impact on household expenditure through the Family Food Survey. According to the Survey the proportion of income spent on food by the lowest 20% of households, by income, has remained relatively static over the last 10 years and was 16.6% in 2012.
We also work internationally to promote transparent, open global markets and a competitive domestic market that helps producers and retailers offer the best prices to consumers.