Overview

This bill mandates the UK government to regularly monitor and report on household food insecurity across the UK. It establishes a framework for collecting official statistics on food insecurity and requires the publication of annual reports analyzing trends and outlining proposed government actions.

Description

The Food Insecurity Bill requires the Secretary of State to:

• Establish annual monitoring and reporting on household food insecurity in the UK, defining food insecurity as limited access to adequate food due to lack of money and resources.
• Amend the Statistics and Registration Act 2007 to include food insecurity as a category for official statistics, incorporating relevant questions into the annual Living Costs and Food Survey.
• Consult with devolved administrations (Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland) in developing and publishing annual reports.
• Publish an annual report assessing food insecurity trends broken down by UK regions, and summarizing planned actions in areas with high food insecurity. These reports must be laid before Parliament.

Government Spending

The bill doesn't specify direct government spending figures. However, the implementation will necessitate resources for data collection, analysis, report preparation, and potential future initiatives to address food insecurity identified in the reports. The exact cost is not provided in the bill itself.

Groups Affected

The bill affects numerous groups:

• Households experiencing food insecurity: The bill aims to better understand and address their needs through data collection and government action.
• Government departments: Increased responsibilities for data collection, analysis, reporting, and potential policy changes.
• Devolved administrations (Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland): Required to participate in data collection and planning responses to food insecurity within their respective regions.
• Researchers and analysts: Access to improved data on food insecurity for research and policy development.
• Food banks and charities: Potentially improved targeting of resources and advocacy efforts based on the bill's data.

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