Submitted on Saturday 24th October 2020
Rejected on Friday 30th October 2020
Current status: Rejected
Rejection code: no-action (see below for details)
Stop subsidising MP meals and create program to support vulnerable children
Stop using taxpayer funds to subsidise MP and Government official meals and drinks and use the funds to allow local authorities to support underprivileged and vulnerable children in their area.
The Government have voted not to support the additional provision of Free School Meals over the half term and upcoming Christmas Holidays without any other alternative in place. They have actively made a decision not to feed hungry children who are already experiencing poverty and difficult circumstances.
We as taxpayers, however, have to pay towards subsidies to MPs who are earning £70k plus expenses - I feel we should have a say in this.
You can't sign this petition because it was rejected. But you can still comment on it here at Repetition.me!
The Government e-Petitions Team gave the following reason:
The House of Commons Catering service does not provide a subsidised service in the commercial sense of the word. Some venues make a profit, while in other venues the cost of providing the service does exceed the income received in sales due to the irregular hours and unpredictability of parliamentary business. The House of Commons publishes details of the cost of House of Commons catering services: www.parliament.uk/site-information/foi/transparency-publications/hoc-transparency-publications/catering-services/transparency-reporting-catering-services/
Customers of the House of Commons Catering Services include some of the 650 MPs but also around 14,500 other pass-holders, many of whom are staff on lower wages that work irregular hours. In addition, members of the public and non pass holding visitors to Parliament also have access to these services. The irregular hours and the unpredictability of Parliamentary business contribute to increasing the net cost of providing a catering service. To offset this many of the restaurants, dining room facilities and their staff, are used to cater for private events at times when they are not required by the House. This is one of a number of measures used to reduce costs.
We have published the following petitions, which you might like to sign:
Increase food and drink prices for MPs in House of Commons catering venues: petition.parliament.uk/petitions/555565
Fund free school meals over school holidays until April 2021: petition.parliament.uk/petitions/555727
Provide the free school meal entitlement throughout the year: petition.parliament.uk/petitions/555723
End child food poverty – no child should be going hungry: petition.parliament.uk/petitions/554276
18.190.156.212 Thu, 18 Apr 2024 11:56:01 +0100
