Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether food banks are a devolved matter to Northern Ireland.

Food banks are operated by independent charitable and community organisations. Social security, including welfare support, is a devolved matter for the Northern Ireland Executive.

The Government's Child Poverty Strategy includes measures such as lifting the two-child benefit cap, the Universal Credit deduction reforms and increasing the National Living Wage that will apply in Northern Ireland, so providing better support for low-income families.