Tackling Food Insecurity in West Lothian

That the Parliament understands that the most recent West Lothian Council Partnership and Resources Policy Development and Scrutiny Panel noted that “food poverty in West Lothian is growing and significant” and particularly impacts unemployed people, disabled people and households with children, especially single parents; further understands that, in 2018-19, the West Lothian Food Bank issued 2,925 three-day emergency food packs to 5,885 local people in crisis, a 41% increase on the previous year; considers that West Lothian Council and its third sector partners are taking steps to reduce food insecurity and ensure sustainability of food provision across the council area, including developing a West Lothian food network, working with Fare Share to ensure unwanted food is redistributed, holding a Food with Dignity conference in March 2020 to share good practice and develop a local food action plan, and creating an interactive map to aid access to advice and support; understands that these measures are being supported by £150,000 of council funding; believes that a right to food should be established in Scots law, and calls on the UK and Scottish governments to tackle the root causes of food insecurity in West Lothian and across Scotland.