Fruit and Vegetable Subsidy (Hansard, 17 March 2004)

HC Deb 17 March 2004 vol 419 cc301-2W 302W

§ Lady Hermon
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will introduce a fruit and vegetable subsidy scheme for low income families in Northern Ireland. [161288]

§ Angela Smith
The Food Benefit Schemes (Northern Ireland) Order provides for the establishment of a new Welfare Food Scheme or Schemes in Northern Ireland. It is anticipated that the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety will be consulting on the detail of a new Scheme in Spring 2004. It is intended that the new Scheme will add fresh fruit and vegetables to the liquid milk and infant formula already available through the current scheme to low income families.