Food Prices and Food Poverty

Madeleine Moon Excerpts
Monday 23rd January 2012

(12 years, 10 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Mary Creagh Portrait Mary Creagh
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That is very good to hear.

Madeleine Moon Portrait Mrs Madeleine Moon (Bridgend) (Lab)
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Bridgend food bank covers four of the 10 most deprived wards in Wales, so the service it provides is critical. In its recent report, it said that the people who applied for food there did so because of

“low income or ill health…repossession of their home…job loss or desertion by the…breadwinner, or”

burglary,

“house fire or unexpected benefit cuts.”

People who go to food banks go for a variety of reasons, but is it not appalling that in 2012, when we are celebrating the Olympics and spending millions of pounds, people are still starving?

Mary Creagh Portrait Mary Creagh
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I agree. Charities such as the Salvation Army and HelpAge are seeing an explosion in demand as incomes fall, working hours are cut and prices rise.