Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment he has made of the impact of rising food prices on working families.

On 28 January 2022, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) restarted publication of Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation series broken down by income decile. Publication of these series was previously suspended due to the unavailability of many items for price quotes during the pandemic.

We understand the pressure that a higher cost of living places on people, including increasing food prices. The government is working with international partners to tackle the global supply chain disruptions that are causing higher inflation, and is providing support worth around £12 billion this financial year and next to help families with the cost of living. Alongside this, the government has announced a package of support to help households with rising energy bills, worth £9.1 billion in 2022-23.