A CUMBRIAN MP has called on the Government to provide £5m in extra funding to help those struggling to afford sufficient food this winter.

In his role as a member of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee, Penrith and the Border MP Neil Hudson has urged the Government to provide £5m in funding for the FareShare scheme, which redistributes surplus food from the supply chain to food charities.

Dr Neil Hudson said: “Our Cross Party Committee is calling on the Government to continue funding this excellent way of getting high quality fresh food to some of the most vulnerable folk in society.

"This scheme will complement other recently announced, and very welcome, funding measures and also makes so much sense by reducing food wastage while we are at it.”

Chairman of the EFRA Select Committee, Neil Parish MP, said: "We face a tough winter with many businesses closing and incomes reducing or disappearing, pushing people into food poverty.

"The Government must make sure that the most vulnerable members of society have access to enough healthy food.

"To waste food in the supply chain at such a time would be abhorrent, and this grant would provide a huge boost to the invaluable work of charities redistributing surplus food to those who most need it."