Food Banks

Debate between Lord Murphy of Torfaen and Brian H. Donohoe

Wednesday 18th December 2013 Commons Chamber

[Paul Murphy (Torfaen) (Lab)]

Perhaps I can bring the House back to the issue of food banks. I decided to take part in this debate only last Friday, when I visited the Eastern Valley food bank in Pontypool in my constituency and saw its excellent work with my own eyes. It distributes more than a tonne of food per week and feeds more than 120 local families, and demand is so great it has opened three distribution centres in Blaenavon and Cwmbran. Like many food banks in this country, it is linked to the Trussell Trust, to whose Welsh representative, Tony Graham, I pay tribute.

That situation is replicated throughout Wales, which now has 33 food banks and 74 distribution centres. In the UK, three open every week.

[Mr Brian H. Donohoe (Central Ayrshire) (Lab)]

I have visited most of my food banks, but there are so many of them that it is very difficult. Has my right hon. Friend noticed, like me, the type of person turning up at these food banks? I saw a woman who was a skilled worker—a draughtswoman—who could not get a job and had not had one for four years as a result of the Government’s policies. Did he see anybody like that?

[Paul Murphy]

Indeed, I did. I also saw that many people using the food bank were working people who simply did not have sufficient money to feed their families.

The Minister spent some time trying to decide who caused the recession, but in 2010—the year the Government came to power—more than 4,000 people in Wales got food from a food bank. In 2011, it went up to 16,000; to 36,000 in 2012; and in this year, it is estimated that 60,000 people in Wales will have to rely on food banks. That is the population of my town, Cwmbran, the fifth largest town in Wales. That is a disgraceful indictment of society and of what the Government have—or have not—done.