Liberal Democrats at their 2014 Spring Conference in York passed unanimously the policy motion                  ( submitted by the Social Liberal Forum), Food Poverty, a motion calling for additional research into food banks, investigate the cause of food poverty  and ring fence money available for local welfare provision.

Key proposals include:

• Publishing the results of research into food banks commissioned by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).

• Commissioning an urgent independent review into the relationship between benefit delay, error or sanctions and the growth of food poverty.

• Ring-fence money made available for the local welfare provision grant to provide short-term support for people in financial difficulties, such as benefit delays.

Commenting, Kelly-Marie Blundell said:

“I am delighted that the Liberal Democrats have shown they are the party standing up for the most vulnerable in society by ensuring there are provisions to help people experiencing food poverty, and I will continue to work with Ministers to ensure that benefit changes do not leave people in poverty.

“Liberal Democrats in Government have worked to protect the most vulnerable and this motion underpins our intention to continue to do so.”