Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he has taken ensure that people on the covid-19 shielded patient list who were not registered for free food parcels by 1 August 2020 can continue to have priority access to supermarket home deliveries.

The Government has successfully secured the agreement of supermarkets to continue to provide support to the clinically extremely vulnerable.

Supermarkets continue to provide support to their vulnerable customers through offers such as priority access to delivery slots, in-store shopping assistance, and home delivery of food boxes which can be purchased over the phone for customers without internet access.

Additionally, there are a number of options available for individuals who identify as vulnerable and want help accessing food. Vulnerable individuals can contact their local authority, or one of Defra’s charity partners (AgeUK, Scope or RNIB), to be referred for the Priority Food Delivery Scheme. Through this scheme, vulnerable individuals or their carers can shop online with priority access to Tesco or Iceland delivery slots.

Vulnerable individuals can also request help from an NHS volunteer responder in gaining access to food, prescriptions and other essential items by calling the phone line or visiting the Royal Voluntary Service website.