Members' Business — S5M-05314 Pauline McNeill: Food Banks, Scotland's Hunger Crisis

That the Parliament understands that the number of people in Scotland experiencing hunger is at crisis level, with figures from the Trussell Trust suggesting that more than 100,000 visited its food banks in the last year; believes that, as there are many charities and organisations providing such services, the number of families relying on these will be far higher; condemns what it sees as the benefit cuts and unfair sanctions that are being imposed by the UK Government, which it believes have been a significant factor in the dramatic increase in the use of foodbanks; notes the support for policies that aim to prevent hunger and ensure the provision of food through working with food banks until they are no longer required; further notes the view that there should be sustained and improved access to emergency financial support through the Scottish Welfare Fund; understands that existing schemes where social services work with voluntary organisations have been successful in helping people access the services and support to which they are entitled and that by providing this has reduced foodbank use, and notes the view that this approach of joint public and voluntary sector working provides the greatest chance of eradicating the need for food banks in Glasgow and across Scotland.