5. Statement by the Minister for Social Justice: Cost of Living

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:07 pm on 10 January 2023.

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Photo of Jane Hutt Jane Hutt Labour 5:07, 10 January 2023

Thank you very much, Jenny Rathbone, and thank you for raising the issue of food poverty. We've provided £2.4 million to support community food organisations to meet that increase in demand for emergency food as a result of the cost of living. But also, additional to that, another £2.5 million to support the development of cross-sector food partnerships in Wales to help support resilience in the longer term, and much broader links. You will know about Food Cardiff and the initiatives that they've taken. We're sort of building on that and the Big Bocs Bwyd scheme, linked to schools, to get partnerships to tackle the root causes of food poverty and the focus, as you have always stated very clearly, that we need to focus on prevention, sustainability and also co-ordinate this on the ground.

I'm also really pleased that I visited Well-Fed in Shotton, as other Ministers have, and seen what can be achieved, but they've also worked in partnership with their local authority, Flintshire County Council, and also with housing associations. They're providing meals, as you probably heard, to every member of staff of one of the housing associations in north-east Wales. And you're quite right in terms of the importance of supporting children eligible for free school meals, with a total investment of over £100 million. But, actually, just to say that last year, the Trussell Trust had to purchase three times more food than they did in the equivalent period the year before through food banks, and we know that wasn't sustainable.

It is important, the point you raise about automatically receiving these entitlements, and this is something that I'm working with the Minister for Finance and Local Government on. We know that in 11 of our 22 authorities, people have automatically received their £200 payment. This is about us taking responsibility with our local authorities. I met with Councillor Anthony Hunt, who's the finance lead cabinet member for the Welsh Local Government Association. So, we are working on how we can roll that out, and I know, across the Chamber, everyone will be supportive of that route. But also, you have to recognise the scams and the people suggesting you make claims.

I mean, I think there is a more complex issue relating to the UK Government, those people who are not getting their payments—the £400 payment. As I said in response to Sioned Williams, I in fact wrote to Grant Shapps on this on 23 December, because we've got data—I was asked about data earlier on—that 34 per cent of vouchers have not been redeemed since the scheme launched. But I will take this up in terms of how they can publish more information on voucher redemption rates and, if necessary, extend the 90 days as well.