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David Mundell to open food bank in Dumfries David Mundell to open food bank in Dumfries
(about 11 hours later)
Scotland's only Conservative MP is to open a food bank to help people struggling with welfare reform. Scotland's only Conservative MP is to open a new food bank in Dumfries.
Scottish Secretary David Mundell has previously questioned claims of a link between food bank use and his party's policy. Scottish Secretary David Mundell has previously questioned claims of a link between food bank use and his party's welfare reforms.
He will open a Trussell Trust food bank in Dumfries on Friday. SNP and Labour MSPs criticised Mr Mundell's efforts to distance welfare reforms from food bank use.
Another food bank in Dumfries has claimed Conservative welfare policies are directly contributing to poverty and food bank use in the town. Another food bank in Dumfries, run by the First Base Agency, claimed Tory policies were directly contributing to poverty and food bank use.
Mr Mundell, MP for Dumfries-shire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale, said claims of welfare-related hardship from Mark Frankland, a volunteer with the First Base Agency which runs the food bank, "should be taken with a pinch of salt" because he is an outspoken Scottish independence supporter. Mr Mundell, the Conservative MP for Dumfries-shire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale, will open the Trussell Trust food bank on Friday.
His comments provoked an outcry at Holyrood's Welfare Reform Committee in February, with SNP and Labour MSPs criticising Mr Mundell's efforts to distance welfare reform from food bank use. He said claims of welfare-related hardship from Mark Frankland, a volunteer with the First Base Agency, "should be taken with a pinch of salt" because he is an outspoken Scottish independence supporter".
Mr Mundell told the committee: "The three issues that are most commonly raised in relation to food banks are sanctions, delays in benefit payments and low income. I do not accept that those three issues are welfare reform issues." The Scottish secretary told Holyrood's Welfare Reform Committee in February: "The three issues that are most commonly raised in relation to food banks are sanctions, delays in benefit payments and low income. I do not accept that those three issues are welfare reform issues."
A Trussell Trust press release announcing Mr Mundell's visit on Friday states that welfare reform is causing hardship for individuals and families, and that benefit changes are one of the underlying causes of poverty. A Trussell Trust press release announcing Mr Mundell's visit states that welfare reform is causing hardship for individuals and families, and that benefit changes are one of the underlying causes of poverty.
Ewan Gurr, Scotland network manager for the Trussell Trust, said: "Like many small rural towns, Dumfries has seen the impact of the rising cost of food and fuel, insecure nature of employment and welfare reform, which has created financial hardship for many individuals and families throughout the entire local authority of Dumfries and Galloway. Ewan Gurr, Scotland network manager for the Trussell Trust, said: "Like many small rural towns, Dumfries has seen the impact of the rising cost of food and fuel, insecure nature of employment and welfare reform, which has created financial hardship for many individuals and families throughout the entire local authority of Dumfries and Galloway."
"The Trussell Trust is pleased to work with Apex Scotland given their shared commitment to partner with organisations working with people in crisis and complement the other food providers available in Dumfries-shire." The project will be based at the Apex centre in Dumfries and will work with 26 local agencies to identify people in crisis.
The project will be based at the Apex centre in Dumfries and it will work with 26 local agencies Fiona Dalgleish, centre co-ordinator at Apex, said that the project is expected to be very busy.
Fiona Dalgleish, centre co-ordinator at Apex, said that the project, which works with 26 local referring agencies to identify people in crisis, is expected to be very busy.
"The food bank in Dumfries will be an absolute necessity to support local people and help them break the cycle of poverty," she said."The food bank in Dumfries will be an absolute necessity to support local people and help them break the cycle of poverty," she said.
It is the second of two projects launched by Apex Scotland in partnership with The Trussell Trust. It is the second of two projects launched by Apex Scotland in partnership with the Trussell Trust.
In November 2013, Wigtownshire food bank opened its doors to the public and has since reached almost 600 people.In November 2013, Wigtownshire food bank opened its doors to the public and has since reached almost 600 people.