Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to prevent food poverty and the use of foodbanks.

We know the most effective route out of poverty is work. That is why we are determined to make work pay and to support people into work whilst protecting the most vulnerable in society. During 2017/18 we will spend £95 billion on children and working age benefits. As a safeguard for people needing more support we also have a well-established system of hardship payments, benefit advances and budgeting loans.