Cyflwynwyd yr ymateb hwn i’r ymgynghoriad ar y Bil Bwyd (Cymru) Drafft

This response was submitted to the consultation on the Draft Food (Wales) Bill

OSFB002

Ymateb gan: | Response from: Unigolyn | An individual

Overarching principles

Question 1: Do you agree with the overarching principles that the Bill seeks to achieve?

Yes

As a community development worker, I have witnessed a significant increase in the number of people having to access foodbanks and other community based emergency food providers (including Community Pantries). Salaries and benefits allowances are not keeping up with the increasing costs average community members are facing. In the absence of increasing income to match, the only thing that can be done it to ensure supplies of food are kept within affordable parameters.

Question 2: Do you think there is a need for this legislation? Can you provide reasons for your answer.

Yes

People need to be able to afford to eat. The more recent drastic increases to costs of fuel and utilities means more families are struggling, and poorer households suffer the most. More and more families are having to skip meals and choose to heat their homes or feed their kids. There are more "in work" households having to access additional support to feed their families. When there is a family with 2 parents present, both working full time, and they still can't afford to provide enough food to fill their children's bellies, action must be taken.

Food Goals

Question 3: Please provide your views on the inclusion of the Food Goals within the Bill as the means to underpin the policy objectives.

I agree that food goals should be included with v view to measuring the impact of this Bill.

Question 4: Do you agree with the inclusion of a Primary Food Goal supplemented by Secondary Food Goals?

I agree with the Primary and secondary targets. Accessibility to affordable and healthy food should be the priority.

Question 5: Are there additional / different areas you think should be included in the Food Goals?

Secondary targets could include additional benefits to businesses and organisation taking positive action to make food more readily available to struggling community members. Perhaps discounted rates to food retail outlets offering low cost/healthy/affordable options. I also believe that public bodies could contribute more towards the running costs of third sector food providers that offer crisis food support to community members.

Question 6: Do you have any additional comments on the Food Goals, including the resource implications of the proposals and how these could be minimised?

I think that in paragraph 29) the duty on "public bodies" should be to take positive action rather than reasonable steps. This is an urgent matter and many people are going hungry.

Question 7: Please provide your views on the inclusion of targets within the Bill as the means to measure how the Food Goals are being advanced.

I agree with the inclusion of targets. They are essential to measure the positive impact as well as any potential lack of progress.

Question 8: Do you agree with the process for setting the targets?

This process could include consultation with community activists involved on the distribution of crisis food parcels to community members. Not just Trussell Trust. There are many groups and organisations contributing in this way and their work goes largely unmeasured as there is no collective collation of data around the work they do.

Question 9: Do you think the reporting mechanisms set out in the draft Bill provide sufficient accountability and scope for scrutiny?

Yes.

Question 10: Do you have any additional comments on the targets, including the resource implications of the proposals and how these could be minimised?

My concern is that Ministers with the power to review targets could lower them to make them more achievable/less challenging.

Wales Food Commission

Question 11: What are your views on the need for a Welsh Food Commission?

Agree that this is required

Question 12: Do you agree with the goals and functions of the Welsh Food Commission? If not, what changes would you suggest?

Yes

Question 13: Do you agree with the size of the membership of the Food Commission and the process for appointing its members?

Question 14: What are your views on the proposal that the chair and members can serve a maximum term of five years and that an individual may be re-appointed as a chair or member only once? Do you believe this is appropriate?

Yes

Question 15: Do you have any additional comments on the Food Commission, including the resource implications of the proposals and how these could be minimised?

It is a concern that the commission can regulate its own procedures (including any quorum)

National Food Strategy

Question 16: Do you agree that there is a need for a national food strategy?

Yes

Question 17: Do you believe the Welsh Government’s current strategies relating to ‘food’ are sufficiently joined up / coherent?

Question 18: Does the draft Bill do enough to ensure that Welsh Ministers take advice and consult on the strategy before it is made. If no, what additional mechanisms would you put in place?

Suggest that there is more consultation with organisations and groups that operate at the front line of providing crisis food packages to the community. Not just Trussell Trust Food banks - there are many independent groups and organisations doing this work. Suggest establishing Networks of such groups that can consult with network members and feed up information/data/issues.

Question 19: Do you think the provisions of the draft Bill relating to reporting on the national food strategy are sufficient? If not, what changes would you like to see?

I would like to see a shorter timescale for the first report - 12 months rather than 2 years and continuing with annual reporting.

Question 20: Do you think the provisions of the draft Bill relating to reviewing of the national food strategy are sufficient? If not, what changes would you like to see?

Yes

Question 21: Do you have any additional comments on the National Food Strategy, including the resource implications of the proposals and how these could be minimised?

Local Food Plans

Question 22: Do you agree that there is a need for local food plans?

Yes

Question 23: Does the draft Bill do enough to ensure that public bodies consult on their local food plans before they are made. If no, what additional mechanisms would you put in place?

Establish local third sector food networks that can feed data in to these plans.

Question 24: Do you think the provisions of the draft Bill relating to reporting on the local food plans are sufficient? If not, what changes would you like to see?

Further consultation at grass roots level

Question 25: Do you think the provisions of the draft Bill relating to reviewing of the local food plans are sufficient? If not, what changes would you like to see?

Stronger expectations of establishing sustainable food systems

Question 26: Do you have any additional comments on local food plans, including the resource implications of the proposals and how these could be minimised?

Increase support to food banks/local community food providers to help meet the increase in demand and the increasing revenue costs associated with running such services.

General Provisions

Question 27: Do you agree with the list of persons defined as being a ‘public body’ for the purpose of this Bill?

Yes

Question 28: Do you have any views on the process for making regulations set out in the Bill?

Question 29: Do you have any views on the proposed commencement date for the Act?

The sooner, the better