The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Hunger and Food Poverty recently began its inquiry into food poverty in the UK. As a core member of the inquiry team, Emma will be contributing evidence based on the experiences of people in Shields and the work of food aid providers across the country. She will also be meeting with charity leaders and visiting food banks across Britain to learn more about the work volunteers are doing to support households who struggle to put food on the table.
Rising food prices and falling incomes mean that over one million food parcels have been handed out across the country in the last year, nearly a third of them to children. Food bank charity the Trussell Trust reports that over 900,000 people received three days’ food aid last year.
The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) was set up in October in response to this growing problem. The group is a cross-party group of MPs and Peers that explores issues around the causes of food poverty in Britain, and works with charities and campaign groups to help address food poverty.
The Inquiry, which was launched in February, has a website which can be visited at http://foodpovertyinquiry.org/. As well as taking evidence from leading charities and campaigners in the food aid sector, the Inquiry will be visiting towns across the UK to look at the situation there. The Inquiry team will be coming to South Shields on 4 July.
Emma said:
“Food poverty is on the rise under this Government, as rising prices and frozen wages create a cost of living crisis that leaves many households without enough money to cover the cost of their weekly shop.
“Benefit delays and sanctions are also affected the poorest households, and this is pushing those already in poverty to extreme levels of deprivation.
“In one of the richest countries in the world, it is disgraceful that any family should have to rely on charity to feed themselves. That is why I wanted to be a part of this important inquiry, to get to the bottom of the causes of food poverty and set a clear agenda for action to address this crisis.”
The Inquiry is currently collecting evidence from food bank operators and members of the public to be used in its review of current food aid provision. You can submit your own comments to the Inquiry by clicking here.