VAT Relief: Business Donations

Baroness Boycott Excerpts

Tuesday 19th May 2026 Lords Chamber

[Lord Livermore (Lab)]

I very much agree with my noble friend. It is one of the reasons why Sure Start was so important and so successful under the previous Labour Government. It was an absolute tragedy that the previous Tory Government scrapped the Sure Start scheme, and we saw a massive increase in child poverty as a result. My noble friend is absolutely right about signposting. To go back to the original Question, it is part of the good work that social supermarkets do in communities up and down the country.

[Baroness Boycott (CB)]

My Lords, I declare my interest: I was partly responsible for founding Feeding Britain and bringing the first social supermarkets to London. People talk about the fact that only 8% of food waste makes its way towards either a food bank or a social supermarket. There is a staggering amount of food high up in the food chain in companies that cannot be bothered and the ludicrous situation of some companies manufacturing yoghurts to fulfil contracts to produce anaerobic digestion for renewable energy. The Government could do an enormous amount by opening up this can of worms—this secret source of wasted food—and getting it down the chain to people who need it. A lot of it happens to be very healthy food, such as tins of beans.

[Lord Livermore (Lab)]

The noble Baroness is far more expert in these matters than I am, but I fully understand what she is saying. I am sure that there is a lot in what she says and I am sure that the Government will look closely at it.