Therese Coffey
Conservative minister Therese Coffey has described food banks as the “perfect way” to help the poor.
The Work and Pensions Secretary made the controversial comment replying to a question from Labour MP Zarah Sultana.
Ms Sultana was quizzing the Government’s welfare chief at DWP Questions on Monday.
She said: “There are more food banks in Britain than there are McDonald’s restaurants—a company that I know recently paid off its fired British boss with roughly £30 million.
“Does the Minister accept that it is a gross injustice that nurses are forced to use food banks while fat-cat bosses receive obscene pay-outs?”
The Work and Pensions Secretary replied: “The Honourable Lady is right to praise volunteers at her local food bank who support vulnerable people in their area.
“I visited a similar food bank in my own constituency that has been working together with food redistribution schemes.
“Marrying the two is a perfect way to try to address the challenges that people face at difficult times in their lives.
“The Hon. Lady will be aware of the work that we have been trying to do with the Trussell Trust, and I am pleased to say that we will also be having a roundtable of independent food banks to understand how we can help them and their customers to move forwards.”
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