Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the (a) effect of the covid-19 outbreak on levels of food bank usage in Knowsley and (b) potential merits of holding discussions with food bank centres in Knowsley on tackling poverty.

No assessment has been made. There is no consistent and accurate measure of food bank usage at a constituency or national level.

This Government is committed to tackling poverty and officials from the Department continue to engage on this issue with a wide range of stakeholders, including food bank operators. Throughout this pandemic, this Government has delivered an unprecedented package of support and, for those in most need, injected billions into the welfare system. Our Covid Winter Grant Scheme has provided £229m to Local Authorities in England to enable them to support people with food and essential utility bills during the coldest months. Building on this, we have now introduced the £40m Covid Local Support Grant which will run to the 20th June.