Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish clearer guidance on the (a) collection and (b) distribution of milk formulas at food banks.

Food banks are independent, charitable organisations and the Government does not have any role in their operation. Decisions about which donations to accept and make available to food bank users are therefore a matter for food bank providers. There is strict legislation currently in place in the form of the overarching Food for Specific Groups legislation (Retained Regulation No 609/2013) and specifically Retained Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/127. They regulate, labelling and marketing of infant formulae and follow-on formulae.