Sue Robb of 4Children talks to Julie Laughton and Alison Britton from the Department for Education about the role of childminders in delivering the 30 hours free entitlement.
Excess army rations should be given to homeless, MP urges
Work and Pensions Select Committee chairman Frank Field has called for surplus army food packs to be used to feed the UK's homeless population, after figures showed 12,275 operational ration packs (ORP) had been disposed of between April and December.
Data revealed that during the whole of the 2015/16 financial year 10,798 ORPs were disposed of, and 5,004 in the year before that.
According to the labour MP, the issue had been repeatedly raised by food banks, because of problems associated with catering for people do not have the facilities to cook or store food.
"The number is going up and they're only destroying it. I just hope someone will look into it. Let's move it from one army to the army of the homeless.
"These supplies are designed for people, in a sense, to eat on the run, and people in doorways are in a similar position.
"They're ideally constructed for when people haven't got much."
An spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence said: "Our stocks of ORPs are managed to make sure they are consumed within the two-year shelf life required to meet our food quality standards.
"We only undertake disposal of ORP as a last resort and only at a point when the product can no longer be consumed.
"Due to the changing nature of exercises or deployments, there will of course be occasions when ORP has not been issued before it becomes out of date."
Latest News
24/04/2024 - 11:50
Broadcasters have been issued a warning by Ofcom to maintain impartiality ahead of General Election due to take place before 25 January 2025.
24/04/2024 - 09:49
More than £30 million has been paid out via two Scottish Government benefits to help people deal with increased energy costs this winter.
23/04/2024 - 11:20
A topping out ceremony has been held at Government Property Agency’s (GPA) First Street government hub.
23/04/2024 - 10:15
Following the news that Simon Tse will retire in the summer, Sam Ulyatt has been appointed as the new Chief Executive of the Crown Commercial Servi
22/04/2024 - 11:44
More than £100 million will be invested in Welsh public transport, the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and transport, Ken Skates has said.
Company Focus
Event Diary
UKREiiF has quickly become a must-attend in the industry calendar for Government departments and local authorities.
The multi-award-winning UK Construction Week (UKCW), is the UK’s biggest trade event for the built environment that connects the whole supply chain to be the catalyst for growth and positive change in the industry.
Supplier Profiles
At GeoEnergy Design, we're on a mission to disrupt the traditional way heating and cooling ha
Latest Features
Professor Harith Alani, director of the Knowledge Management Institute at the Open University explains how AI can be used for good and bad.
Alex Lawrence, head of health & social care, techUK sets out techUK’s Five Point Plan for CareTech.
