Fife MP leads cross-party inquiry into rising use of foodbanks

Wendy Chamberlain, MP for North East Fife, will convene the inquiry, which is backed by the Trussell Trust and includes Labour, SNP, and Conservative MPs as well as a member of the House of Lords.

It will explore and consider different types of community responses to support people experiencing destitution and their role in ending the need for food banks.

This includes vouchers and cash-based support.

It also wants to get some insight, particularly from people with lived experience and needing to use a food bank. In order to understand their use across the country.

Over the coming months, members will visit different communities, including in Fife.

Ms Chamberlain said: “This inquiry is a powerful opportunity to highlight the reality of the crisis faced by people on the lowest incomes and will explore solutions to the root causes of food bank use.

“Emergency food parcels are not a long term or dignified solution to what is a systemic problem.

“With the cost-of-living crisis only getting worse, we simply haven’t seen the action from the UK government which is needed to help people on the lowest incomes, and avert even more people needing to use food banks. “She added: “This is a serious failure with grave consequences for families up and down the country. Last winter, even before inflation and energy prices soared, one in three people receiving Universal Credit were skipping meals.

“As the current crisis bites, this is only getting worse.”