The Labour MP Frank Field who is the Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Hunger and Food Poverty, has questioned the Government’s decision to reject at least £203 million of funding that could have been used to boost food aid provision in Britain. New figures obtained by Mr Field from the House of Commons Library show that Britain would have been entitled to at least €246 million from the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived between now and 2020, with more funding available if needed. Frank Field has written to the Prime Minister, David Cameron, asking him to reconsider the Government’s decision to reject this funding.
Commenting on the figures, Frank Field said: “People are going hungry yet the Government has turned down a small fortune in food aid funding. Despite recent improvements in the labour market, the cost of household essentials is continuing to rise, with household incomes for those at the bottom often failing to cover the costs of putting food on the table. An additional £200 million plus of funding could have enabled food banks and other food aid providers to work wonders with the most vulnerable people in society. The Government must reconsider its bizarre decision to reject this funding.”
