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Food Poverty

Asked by Ian ByrneLabourDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled Answered 27 April 2026UIN 908863

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a statutory right to food for people in poverty.

Answered by Andrew Western

While the right to food is not codified in UK domestic law, the Government is taking action to improve access to good, nutritious food.

We have announced action to expand free school meals, support parents with the cost of healthy food in the school holidays with the Holidays and Activities and Food Programme and launched the Crisis and Resilience Fund, which enables local authorities to design schemes that address food poverty.

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