Business of the House

Rachael Maskell Excerpts

Thursday 19th June 2025 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

I am sorry to hear that the hon. Member has not had a response to his correspondence and questions. I do not have details about the Camelford bypass in my folder, but I will certainly take that up with Ministers and ensure that he gets a response.

[Rachael Maskell (York Central) (Lab/Co-op)]

Yesterday I had the pleasure of hosting people from York Foodbank, one of many food banks in my constituency. It told me that last year it handed out emergency food parcels to 8,700 people in my constituency. That number has doubled since covid, and numbers continue to rise, yet the food supply does not. The assessment is that as a result of the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill, about 400,000 adults will be pushed into further poverty, so will the Leader of the House ensure that food banks have the support that they need to support our communities?

[Lucy Powell]

We are all concerned about the rise in food poverty in recent years. It is a blight on our country and communities, and we want to put it right. This Government are committed to eradicating child poverty. That is why we have the child poverty taskforce, and we are looking at a range of measures. Just a couple of weeks ago, we introduced an extension of free school meals to all those in receipt of universal credit. That will transform the food poverty issues for young people across our country that my hon. Friend describes.