YVONNE FOVARGUE - Holiday hunger a serious problem

Holiday hunger is a serious problem every year, but it is likely to be a great deal worse during the upcoming summer holidays due to the coronavirus crisis.

Research from the Food Foundation shows that more than 200,000 children have had to skip meals because their family couldn’t access the food they needed during lockdown.

Millions of parents have lost their job or substantial amounts of income due to Covid-19, and this will increase pressure on household budgets.

In this context, it would be deeply callous for the Government to withdraw support which would ensure children can eat for the six-week summer holiday.

Furthermore, the Prime Minister has said that there will be a ‘massive catch-up operation’ over the summer holidays.

This is welcome but, if children go hungry this summer, that effort will be undermined.

No child can learn effectively when they are hungry. The Government has said they are taking a ‘whatever it takes’ approach to our economy. I encourage the government to extend that approach to our education system and the most disadvantaged children in society.

Across the borough over 7,800 children are at risk of going hungry this summer as the government withdraws support for the provision of free school meals.

With the added pressure of the coronavirus crisis plunging families into deeper poverty and social distancing and added pressures raising questions on whether holiday lunch schemes may run, many families are rightly concerned about how they will afford food during the summer holidays.

There is a simple solution to this, and that is for the government to continue funding free school meals throughout the summer holidays.

Retail and hospitality businesses are the lifeblood of our high streets and are at the very heart of our communities.

As many reopen their doors in the coming days and weeks, we should shop local and back small British business to give our high streets a boost.

These businesses closed to keep us all safe. The lack of support for some in the sector, and a series of contradictory anonymous briefings, have created confusion around reopening for companies and the public alike.

Ministers must turn their attention to the hospitality sector, providing clarity and guidance so that businesses can plan to reopen.

That means more public advice and guidance to companies about how they can safely reopen.

Alongside this, I urge the government to publish an action plan which maximises economic viability, whilst minimising the risk to the health of customers and staff.

This should include giving guidance on business-critical issues such as sanitising, PPE for staff, security provision, use of toilets, use of phone apps for ordering and table service.

Critically, Government should work with local authorities, taking innovative action to help businesses expand operations and boost trade and build public confidence in going to pubs and restaurants, as well as the high street, by ensuring the test, track and trace system is fully operational.

If they fail to act, I fear our communities will lose much-loved pubs, bars, and restaurants, and we’ll see a wave of closures and unemployment across the country.