I have to say that, when the UK Government announced its plan to remove the £20 uplift for universal credit, it was the Trussell Trust that provided research, surveying people who would be affected by that proposed cut, which then went ahead. One in four people said they would very likely need to skip meals if the cut to universal credit went ahead, and that cut did go ahead, despite strong representations made in this Chamber by this Welsh Labour Government, across the UK, cross-party Tory voices as well, and from those charities that work at the forefront of tackling child poverty. And demand for emergency food provision has increased significantly and continues to grow as vulnerable households experience the economic fallout from the pandemic—we recognise that across the Chamber—rising levels of debt, increases in the cost of living, all of which have had an adverse impact. But, in this powerful debate on tackling food poverty, we do need to consider the causes as well as the responsibilities for taking appropriate action. 

The key levers for reducing levels of poverty in Wales, powers over the tax and welfare system, sit with the UK Government. Nevertheless, there is much we can do as a Welsh Government to prevent poverty, reduce its impact and tackle the inequalities that arise from living in poverty. And our programme for government sets out our commitment to protect, rebuild and develop our services for vulnerable people and improve outcomes for low-income households. Our support for the social wage, through initiatives such as the childcare offer, our council tax reduction scheme, the provision of free school meals—and I'll go on to that—have had the effect of leaving more money in the pockets of Welsh citizens.

And I do join Luke Fletcher, who opened this debate so powerfully, and Members across the Chamber, on this side, in welcoming the co-operation agreement between the Labour Government and Plaid Cymru, with Jane Dodds's support for that commitment to extend free school meals to all primary school pupils over the lifetime of the agreement. And this is transformational action. It will ensure no child in primary school is left hungry. It will be key to tackling child poverty, reducing the inequalities of outcome linked to socioeconomic disadvantage. The provision of a healthy meal as part of the school day will help to encourage healthy eating habits and attitudes, and it's practical learning that will be reinforced by the new curriculum for Wales, the health and well-being area of learning and experience, helping learners understand the factors that affect physical health and well-being, including health-promoting behaviours, such as nutrition and a balanced diet.

During the summer, I met with those running the Wrexham holiday play scheme at Caia Park and visited, in Mike Hedges's constituency, the Faith in Families project at the family centre in Bonymaen. And what was important was speaking to the parents who were fully engaged in that project and had self-esteem and encouragement that they were able to support their families and look to opportunities for their own training, further education and employment. I was able to understand the vital work done in those communities, and many of you have highlighted them from projects you're supporting across this Chamber.

There's no doubt that the universal roll-out of free school meals to primary pupils will relieve some of those financial pressures being experienced by many of the families they support. But also, importantly, that free school meals commitment will enable us to use our levers to drive public procurement and to increase local food production—I'm sure Peter Fox will be encouraged by that—and distribution. It will, in turn, benefit local economies, ecologies and communities. And it will take place alongside the development of the community food strategy, with food as the common factor. It has the potential to improve the mental and physical health of Welsh citizens, and Delyth Jewell raised this important point. It can also bring about those benefits to society—economic, environmental, sustainable benefits to help regenerate our communities.

And we have, for the third year running, allocated £2 million to community food organisations to help tackle food poverty and address food insecurity. We've increased our funding to FareShare to £500,000 this year and, over the last decade, they've distributed the equivalent of 11 million meals to those in need, and currently provide quality surplus food to around 180 community organisations and charities in Wales, and many of those are very positive in the way that they are engaging with their communities to provide accessible food. I'm very pleased that Huw Irranca-Davies mentioned Big Bocs Bwyd, which actually has made an award-winning start in Barry primary schools, rolling out the project to more than 20 schools in the Valleys regional park area. And of course, also understanding that FareShare food and imaginative engagement, which is what they use, provides affordable food to families, but it builds a wider appreciation of the connections between food, nature and the economy. But also, as part of the £51 million household support fund last month, £1.1 million will go to tackle food poverty, helping those food banks that you all support across Wales with those immediate pressures that they're facing.

We know that having insufficient money is the root cause of food poverty, so this is important if we link it to the national benefits take-up campaign, raising people's awareness of the financial support they're entitled to, and encouraging them to phone Advicelink Cymru for free help and advice, maximising incomes, and our winter fuel support scheme will see £38 million go to support households in receipt of working-age, means-tested welfare benefits to meet the immediate pressures on living costs this winter. In fact, we discussed that last week in the debate on fuel poverty. And we have our discretionary assistance fund. These are all the levers, the ways in which the Welsh Government can both choose to prioritise the way we spend our resource. Our discretionary assistance fund is crucial in helping people in financial crisis to meet some of those financial challenges they face, including meeting the cost of food and fuel. And in March, we announced a further £10.5 million to continue the unprecedented support for those who need the discretionary assistance fund and need those flexibilities, which we are continuing as a result of the adverse impact of the pandemic.

We're also taking steps to increase the take-up of Healthy Start vouchers—and I am, in fact, meeting with Lynne Neagle, the Deputy Minister for Mental Health and Well-being—knowing that these can also provide young families on low incomes with £4.25 each week to buy milk, vitamins and foods that improve the nutritional intake of children. We're clear on our commitment to tackle poverty. It is a cross-cutting theme in our budget planning process. It will help ensure poverty is at the heart of policy and service delivery, but I have to say that this is a time today when we do have to look at who is responsible, what are the causes, and there have been damaging decisions made by the UK Government, such as cuts to welfare support and more than 11 years of austerity that have plunged more vulnerable households in Wales into poverty.

We will take our responsibility as a Welsh Government, and I hope the UK Government and the party, and the Welsh Conservatives, will take their responsibilities as well. We have the evidence: Trussell Trust, Children in Wales, the Bevan Foundation, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. If we play our part with our powers and resources, the UK Government must play their much bigger part. I welcome and support this motion and debate. Diolch.