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Take politics out of food bank debate, says Tory MP as inquiry is launched Take politics out of food bank debate, says Tory MP as inquiry is launched
(about 4 hours later)
Partisan politics needs to be taken out of the debate on food banks, a Tory parliamentary aide said at the launch of an all-party parliamentary inquiry into hunger and food poverty. Partisan politics needs to be taken out of the debate on food banks, the parliamentary aide to Eric Pickles said at the launch of an all-party parliamentary inquiry into hunger and food poverty.
John Glen, the parliamentary private secretary to Eric Pickles – the minister who suggested in 2011 that everyone in work should have enough money for food – said he hoped the enquiry would examine the underlying causes of the use of food banks. John Glen, who suggested in 2011 that everyone in work should have enough money for food, said he hoped the inquiry would examine the underlying causes of the use of food banks.
Glen, the MP for Salisbury, where the Trussell Trust, Britain's largest network of food banks, is based, said at the launch of the enquiry at Lambeth Palace: "I hope this inquiry will take some of the politics out of the food banks debate so we can understand some of the underlying issues. Glen, the MP for Salisbury, where the Trussell Trust, Britain's largest network of food banks, is based, said at the launch of the inquiry at Lambeth Palace: "I hope this inquiry will take some of the politics out of the food banks debate so we can understand some of the underlying issues.
"We cannot rely on anecdotes, hearsay and unsubstantiated statistics but really understand the full picture when it comes to what are the underlying drivers of the use of food banks and the increase of their use over the last decade." "We cannot rely on anecdotes, hearsay and unsubstantiated statistics, but really understand the full picture when it comes to what are the underlying drivers of the use of food banks and the increase of their use over the last decade."
The inquiry, to be co-chaired by the former Labour welfare minister Frank Field and the Bishop of Truro, Tim Thornton, will investigate the reasons behind the rise in food banks and alternative sources of emergency food. The Trussell Trust says that 614,000 adults and children relied on its food banks in the first nine months of 2013-14. This compared with 350,000 for 2012-13. The Trussell Trust says that 614,000 adults and children relied on its food banks in the first nine months of 2013-14. This compared with 350,000 for 2012-13.
The inquiry, to be co-chaired by the former Labour welfare minister Frank Field and the Bishop of Truro, Tim Thornton, will investigate the reasons behind the rise in food banks and alternative sources of emergency food.
Field said that the rise in the use of food banks was not just caused by cuts to welfare. He released figures showing that the recent deep recession has reversed a postwar pattern in which the combined proportion of household incomes spent on housing, fuel and food fell from 47.3% in 1953 to 36% in 2003. The figure increased to 40% in 2011.Field said that the rise in the use of food banks was not just caused by cuts to welfare. He released figures showing that the recent deep recession has reversed a postwar pattern in which the combined proportion of household incomes spent on housing, fuel and food fell from 47.3% in 1953 to 36% in 2003. The figure increased to 40% in 2011.
Field said: "Even if we abolished all the welfare reforms that the government had done, we would not abolish the need for foodbanks. One thing I have been trying to say is that these fundamental changes in the relative prices in budgets of food, utilities and rent have blown sky-high the comfortable postwar assumption that our wages system and our benefit system guarantees a minimum which most of us would regard as tolerable should we actually be in that position ourself."Field said: "Even if we abolished all the welfare reforms that the government had done, we would not abolish the need for foodbanks. One thing I have been trying to say is that these fundamental changes in the relative prices in budgets of food, utilities and rent have blown sky-high the comfortable postwar assumption that our wages system and our benefit system guarantees a minimum which most of us would regard as tolerable should we actually be in that position ourself."
He added: "If we could turn the clock back and then run the system without welfare reforms I fear we would still be sitting here today announcing this inquiry because of these fundamental changes.He added: "If we could turn the clock back and then run the system without welfare reforms I fear we would still be sitting here today announcing this inquiry because of these fundamental changes.
"And, while the benefit reforms are a challenge to the Tories I think these fundamental movements in western economies are an equal challenge to the Labour party as they are to the Tory party.""And, while the benefit reforms are a challenge to the Tories I think these fundamental movements in western economies are an equal challenge to the Labour party as they are to the Tory party."