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Fresh and Nutritious Food: Inequality of Access
05 November 2025
Lead MP
Gordon McKee
Glasgow South
Lab
Responding Minister
Dame Angela Eagle
Tags
Transport
Word Count: 4503
Other Contributors: 14
At a Glance
Gordon McKee raised concerns about fresh and nutritious food: inequality of access in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key Requests to Government:
The MP asks for solutions such as community ownership models and co-operatives to address the issue of food deserts, ensuring communities are not solely reliant on charity but have affordable access to fresh food through local initiatives like mobile food banks and community gardens.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
Castlemilk is a community in Glasgow with limited access to fresh and nutritious food. The nearest supermarket is three miles away, making it difficult for residents without cars or reliable public transport options. Many people must choose between healthy food and essential expenses like heating, and the lack of supermarkets forces reliance on off-licences selling unhealthy products. This contributes to higher rates of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and lower life expectancy in Castlemilk compared to national averages.
Amanda Hack
Lab
North West Leicestershire
Agrees with the need to work alongside schools in disadvantaged areas to reduce inequality in food access and proposed initiatives like the Healthy Start scheme.
Ben Coleman
Lab
Chelsea and Fulham
Points out that despite being one of the most affluent constituencies in the country, Chelsea and Fulham has huge pockets of deprivation and poverty with significant childhood obesity issues, calling for better health outcomes across the community.
Chris Hinchliff
Ind
North East Hertfordshire
Suggests that one solution to the problem of access to sustainable and nutritious food would be the right to grow food on public land, as campaigned for by Incredible Edible.
Chris Vince
Lab/Co-op
Harlow
Supported co-operatives as an important part of fixing problems like lack of healthy food access and asked if the community ownership model championed by the Co-op party could be a potential solution.
Stated there was no time for further questions.
Rupa Huq
Lab
Ealing Central and Acton
Noted that people with coeliac disease face higher weekly food costs compared to those without, agreeing that individuals should not be penalised for their health conditions.
West Dorset
Proposes mandatory minimum purchases from local producers for local authorities and schools, providing fresh food for children and supporting local farmers.
Jim Dickson
Lab
Dartford
Supports a voucher scheme run by the Alexandra Rose charity and the Beacon Project which offered families in need vouchers they could redeem for fresh fruit and veg at local markets, suggesting targeted schemes like this can make a real impact.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
Asked if faith groups in Castlemilk could help with providing fresh food, acknowledging the existence of such groups within the community.
Kirsteen Sullivan
Lab/Co-op
Bathgate and Linlithgow
Agreed that community gardens can sometimes be the only way for some people to access nutritious fresh food, highlighting examples in West Lothian.
Perran Moon
Con
Camborne and Redruth
Acknowledges that coastal communities experience higher obesity rates on average than non-coastal communities, agreeing with the lead MP's point about the difficulty of addressing inequalities in access to healthy food in remote areas.
Honiton and Sidmouth
Asked the Minister if she would give way.
Tulip Siddiq
Lab
Hampstead and Highgate
Highlighted Cooperation Town in her constituency, which distributes two tonnes of food weekly and saves local members up to 40% on food costs, suggesting this model could be applied more widely.
Yasmin Qureshi
Lab
Bolton South and Walkden
Highlights the work of FareShare in her constituency which redistributes more than 325,000 meals a year to local charities, asking the Minister to commit to supporting food redistribution as part of a fairer food system.
Government Response
Dame Angela Eagle
The Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs
Government Response
Acknowledges the importance of practical access to nutritious food and highlights disparities in obesity prevalence between deprived and affluent areas. Supports initiatives such as the Healthy Start scheme, which helps low-income families purchase healthy foods. Commits to making healthier choices easier through policy measures. Discussed actions in schools to improve nutritional aspects of free school meals, including extending eligibility and introducing breakfast clubs. Mentioned reviewing food standards, restricting unhealthy promotions, and consulting on a ban on high-caffeine drinks for children under 16. Highlighted initiatives such as the Alexandra Rose charity and mobile greengrocers like Queen of Greens in Liverpool to address food inequality and access to healthy, affordable food.
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About Westminster Hall Debates
Westminster Hall debates are a chance for MPs to raise important issues affecting their constituents and get a response from a government minister. Unlike Prime Minister's Questions, these debates are more in-depth and collaborative. The MP who secured the debate speaks first, other MPs can contribute, and a minister responds with the government's position.