PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Disability: Food (22 June 2020)

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to work with food providers to ensure that disabled families have adequate access to food supplies.

Asked by:
Ms Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour)

We know the difficulties that people with disabilities currently face in accessing food and are taking steps to support this group. We have brokered discussions between charities and retailers to help ensure that services are accessible for disabled people.

We know that a large number of vulnerable people continue to rely on friends, family and wider community support. Where that is not possible, there are a number of options available for people to access support.

Individuals can request help from an NHS volunteer responder, by calling or visiting the Royal Voluntary Service website:

volunteering.royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk/nhs-volunteer-responders-portal/isolating.

Individuals can use one of the increasing range and number of local, regional and national commercial services that provide home delivery of groceries. They can also call their local authority, who will be able to help refer them to local voluntary and commercial shop and drop services and may be able to offer other support too.

Most supermarkets also offer protected in-store shopping hours to vulnerable groups including people with disabilities and their carers.

Answered by:
Victoria Prentis (Conservative)
30 June 2020