Portfolio Question Time – in the Scottish Parliament at 12:48 pm on 30 May 2024.
Paul O'Kane
Labour
12:48,
30 May 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to address food poverty, in light of the recent figures published by the Trussell Trust showing that its network distributed 262,400 emergency food parcels in the last 12 months. (S6O-03502)
Shirley-Anne Somerville
Scottish National Party
It is not acceptable for anyone to have to rely on emergency food parcels.
This week, I visited the Courtyard Pantry Enterprise in Glasgow, where I saw at first hand how trusted community organisations can support families to access healthy, affordable foods and refer them to financial advice services.
Scottish Government policy choices have helped to slow the pace of demand for food parcels in Scotland, and Scotland is the only part of the United Kingdom not to see an increase in the number of parcels distributed through the Trussell Trust network last year. However, we must work with any incoming UK Government to urgently fix the issues with universal credit that are driving food bank use.
Paul O'Kane
Labour
Last year, the Cabinet secretary published a nine-point plan to end food bank use, but the Trussell Trust stated unequivocally that it was “disappointed” with the lack of ambition in the plan and that it failed to show the “requisite leadership and urgency”.
I hear the cabinet secretary saying that the Scottish Government would want to work with an incoming Government, so I am sure that she will agree that an incoming Labour Government—which would prioritise ensuring that work pays and that we support the stabilisation of the economy so that food prices go down—would be very welcome.
How does she respond to those comments by the Trussell Trust? When will she return to her nine-point plan and ensure that it is delivered with the ambition that is required?
Shirley-Anne Somerville
Scottish National Party
I am happy to work with any UK Government of any persuasion that has the best interests of the people of Scotland at its heart. That is why I am disappointed to note that Paul O’Kane’s party does not seek to change any of the Tory austerity welfare policies that we have.
Given the level of concern from trade unions on some of the employability and fair work measures that may or may not happen if Labour is elected, I wait to see what happens in reality.
It is important to point to the fact that the cash-first approach that the Scottish Government has developed has been welcomed by many people within anti-poverty charities and organisations. I was pleased to see how that work has helped people; it is not just about establishing more dignity for people but about ensuring that we support them out of poverty.
I hope that Paul O’Kane will join me in recognising the Trussell Trust’s call for a UK Government to establish an essentials guarantee—something that the Scottish Government has been calling for for some time. [ [Applause .]
Liam McArthur
Liberal Democrat
I call Bill Kidd for a supplementary question.
Bill Kidd
Scottish National Party
Thank you, Presiding Officer, and I thank my colleagues for the applause. [Laughter.]
Will the Cabinet secretary comment on the Fraser of Allander Institute data that shows the significant impact that the Scottish child payment has already had on food bank usage in Scotland?
Shirley-Anne Somerville
Scottish National Party
The latest research demonstrates the impact of the Scottish child payment in assisting people who are struggling to feed their families. It has successfully reduced food bank usage for specific types of households. The families of more than 329,000 under-16s were benefiting from the Scottish child payment at the end of March. However, I absolutely recognise that we need to do more, because any family or individual who goes to a food bank is in crisis, and we should not be at that point in this day and age. That is why we have a social security system that is here to deliver for the people of Scotland. I can only hope that, at some point, we have a UK Government that does the same in relation to its responsibilities for social security.
Question Time is an opportunity for MPs and Members of the House of Lords to ask Government Ministers questions. These questions are asked in the Chamber itself and are known as Oral Questions. Members may also put down Written Questions. In the House of Commons, Question Time takes place for an hour on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays after Prayers. The different Government Departments answer questions according to a rota and the questions asked must relate to the responsibilities of the Government Department concerned. In the House of Lords up to four questions may be asked of the Government at the beginning of each day's business. They are known as 'starred questions' because they are marked with a star on the Order Paper. Questions may also be asked at the end of each day's business and these may include a short debate. They are known as 'unstarred questions' and are less frequent. Questions in both Houses must be written down in advance and put on the agenda and both Houses have methods for selecting the questions that will be asked. Further information can be obtained from factsheet P1 at the UK Parliament site.
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It is chaired by the prime minister.
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The political party system in the English-speaking world evolved in the 17th century, during the fight over the ascension of James the Second to the Throne. James was a Catholic and a Stuart. Those who argued for Parliamentary supremacy were called Whigs, after a Scottish word whiggamore, meaning "horse-driver," applied to Protestant rebels. It was meant as an insult.
They were opposed by Tories, from the Irish word toraidhe (literally, "pursuer," but commonly applied to highwaymen and cow thieves). It was used — obviously derisively — to refer to those who supported the Crown.
By the mid 1700s, the words Tory and Whig were commonly used to describe two political groupings. Tories supported the Church of England, the Crown, and the country gentry, while Whigs supported the rights of religious dissent and the rising industrial bourgeoisie. In the 19th century, Whigs became Liberals; Tories became Conservatives.
