7. To ask the First Minister what concerns the Scottish Government has regarding the availability of food for children and low-income families during the summer months, in the light of the reported rise in food poverty caused by the Covid-19 outbreak. (S5F-04210)

Any report that shows a rise in food insecurity is deeply concerning, because everybody should be able to access the food that they need. I am acutely aware that the pandemic is affecting people in a variety of ways, including by causing real financial hardship.

In March, we put in place a significant package of support through £350 million in community funding, which included more than doubling the Scottish welfare fund and providing £70 million specifically to a food fund. It included £10 million to support the third sector to reach people and £30 million to enable local authorities to help anyone who is unable to access food and provide free school meal replacements. Through that funding, over 175,000 free school meals are being distributed. We recognise that free school meals provide a crucial support to thousands of families across the country, and the Deputy First Minister is currently considering what support should be in place to help families during the summer holiday period.

There has been a fantastic response from our local authorities and community groups. However, the Trussell Trust has highlighted that there has been a huge rise in overall need compared with last year—a rise of 47 per cent in the number of emergency food parcels and a 62 per cent increase in the number of parcels given to children.

More than 100 organisations have called for urgent action to enable children to be fed and supported throughout the summer, with lump sum payments of at least £250 being made to low-income families and free school meal payments being made in cash as an alternative to vouchers or parcels until normal school resumes.

There are over 20,000 children living in poverty in Edinburgh alone. Will the First Minister act on this call to support them and families with children across Scotland, and will she support our local authorities to provide vital food throughout the summer?

The First Minister:

We have been doing all of that, and we are determined to continue. Sarah Boyack is right to point to the Trussell Trust identifying rising need and demand. A few days ago, the Trussell Trust also said that it welcomed the swift action that has been taken by the Scottish Government to increase the Scottish welfare fund and to ensure that food banks can access emergency food. The action that we have taken has been right and necessary, and we intend to continue with it.

As I said, the Deputy First Minister is currently considering free school meal provision over the summer holidays. We recognise the need for that, but we must consider the practicalities and how best to put that provision in place. I assure Parliament that we will continue to do all that we can to make sure that nobody is going hungry and that we deal effectively with the issue of food insecurity, which is unacceptable even during a pandemic crisis.

The Presiding Officer:

We have a number of supplementary questions.