02/12/2012 Sunday Politics North West

In the North West: Waste not, want not. The local

producers doing their bit to combat food poverty, but should the

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 2136 seconds

I'm Arif Ansari. Coming up in the North West:

Waste not, want not. The local producers doing their bit to combat

the growing problem of food poverty. The box has been damaged but the

bag inside is still sealed on the food is imperfect condition but the

supermarket will not take it, and that is the sort of thing we will

donated Fare Share. We'll be asking why people are

still going hungry in modern Britain. To discuss that and the

rest of the week's news, Luciana Berger, the Labour MP for Liverpool

Wavertree, and Chris Davies, the Liberal Democrat Euro MP for the

North West. So this stuff about food poverty, you have been looking

into it? Yes, it is a growing problem and the number of food

banks is growing so I decided to make a film about it. And you are

campaigning, Chris, about fishing policy at the moment? Yes, we want

to stop discards and land all fish. But what you do with fish that

people do not want? It is perfectly edible but people tend to go for

the usual things, haddock and so on. So we are not landing perfectly

good food and it ends up as cat food. OK. Thank you.

There aren't many political heroes. And now there's one fewer. This

week, the Crown Prosecution Service admitted Cyril Smith should have

been prosecuted for abusing young boys. He was the Liberal MP for

Rochdale and one of the most colourful politicians of the '70s

and '80s. One of his victims is calling for a public inquiry, as

Stuart Pollit reports. Instantly recognisable around the

region, returned to Parliament by voters in Rochdale six times in 20

years. Sir Cyril Smith was the most powerful politician in the town.

can testify to how powerful he was because he kept -- picked and 11-

year-old trialled off the floor -- 11-year-old trialled off the floor

and put his head against the wall. That 11-year-old boy is now

Rossendale Councillor Alan Neal. In the 1960s he says he was physically

abused by Cyril Smith at Cambridge House. I had to go to us but will

and have stitches in my head. All of this is on file because in 1964,

65, 68, I made complaints to both the police and also social services.

45 years after Alan first complained, the truth has emerged.

Earlier this month, current Rochdale MP Simon Danczuk told the

Commons that Sir Cyril should be investigated. On Tuesday, Greater

Manchester Police said they believed Smith had abused boys. The

CPS admitted he should have been charged but on three occasions the

organisation and its predecessors decided not to prosecute. For

almost half-a-century, he was the pre-eminent political figure here

in Rochdale butter over the last few weeks, many of those who voted

for him have been forced to reassess their opinion of Sir Cyril

Smith. -- but over the last few weeks. The council says they may be

neutral pact but it is hard to see how the pack or his reputation can

ever be restored. I think people will be very sad and upset and

mystified. I sometimes think, how did I know years ago? But tidied.

What impact will these allegations have on the Lib Dems in the town

and on the region? Unfortunately, nobody from the party at any level

was available to talk to us when we asked. Instead, the party sent us a

statement saying it doesn't endorse anybody involved in incidents such

as these and vowing to co-operate fully with any investigations which

are being carried out. The statement adds that the Liberal

Democrat Party wasn't aware of any allegations being made or any

police investigations taking place. The victims, of which there are

many, they need justice. You would like to see something like a public

inquiry? Most definitely, because it is the only way forward. It is

no good everybody saying, this is terrible but we can't do anything

about it. We can. And we're also joined now by the

current Rochdale MP, Simon Danczuk. Welcome to the programme. You heard

Alan Neal saying he would like a public inquiry. What sort of

inquiry, if any, do you want? good news is victims are getting

some comfort from the fact that the CPS and police have come out and

quite clearly said that Sir Cyril Smith was a serious sexual abuse of

children. And the reason it is good news is that it gives the victims

of his crimes some comfort and satisfaction. They can begin the

process to get closure. So that is the first thing. The second element

is why there was a cover-up. There is no doubt about it - the CPS

could have prosecuted and pushed for prosecution in the 70s, 80s and

90s. Sorry to interrupt but does that mean there was necessarily a

cover-up or was it a mistake or bad judgment? That is a possibility but

you think we need to get to the bottom of it because what is

happening is that more victims have come forward over the last week was

so. No doubt about that. I have spoken to many of them. And some of

the abuse they received at his hands is horrifying. It really has

had a terrible effect on their lives. I think more will come out

as time goes on. I don't think there is any doubt about that. But

also, former police officers have been coming to me as well, not just

from Lancashire police or Greater Manchester but also from the

Metropolitan Police, so I think his abuse was clearly... It could have

been stopped in the 1960s a or 70s when the CPS had the opportunity

and he probably felt emboldened because he was called in

unquestioned but because he got away with it he probably felt

emboldened to carry on with it. We need to know why action was not

taken back then with witnesses coming forward. He was a friend of

yours, wasn't he? How do you feel about this? I think your programme

introduced it very well. A fallen hero. Do you feel as if you have

been somewhat cheated by it? think people do feel that. They saw

him as a champion of the underdog for the people of Rochdale who

spoke words of common sense and who brought a spark to people's lives.

It was always fun when he visited a town. And yet these allegations

just a... I think as Simon has said, evidence of violation of

individuals just means his reputation can never be the same

again. We have to be clear what this abuse is and I have only just

read the report that came out in 1979 within the last couple of days.

What it seems to be his it is corporal punishment and Moller

station. It is not rate as far as I know but maybe Simon knows

differently. Maybe he is alleging rape took place. Well, indecent

assault is what he would have been prosecuted with backing the 60s at

Kenwood House and with the witnesses that have come forward,

rape would have been included in the allegations. -- at Cambridge

House. So you think it did include that? Yes. He went to a special

school in the local Rochdale authority area and that is where it

is alleged and has been covered in the media quite widely that he

raped children. There have certainly been allegations swirling

about Cyril Smith for many years. Did the Lib Dems or the Liberal

Party do enough to investigate? I am sure we didn't, but then

neither did the Labour Party when Cyril Smith was a Labour councillor.

And these allegations do refer to that period as well. When matters

of this kind, this seriousness come up, it is not political parties

which investigate, it is the police. Of course it is the police. We all

rely on that, whatever party we are a number of. There is no doubt

about it that Lord David Steele knew about the allegations in 1979

because they are we in the public arena in the Rochdale alternative

press, and you wonder why he did not instigate some sort of

investigation and push for that at the time. I think rolling forward

to where we are now, I would have thought the Liberal Democrats would

have wanted to investigate both locally in Rochdale and nationally,

to see what went wrong in terms of their system. Again, I have to say

to Simon it is something that started 50 years ago, as it seems.

I would like him to put forward the names of Labour figures we would

also want to talk to. Many of the people involved have come and gone

and are not involved any more. It has to be the police, the CPS.

are doing that. Luciana, at the moment, this is part of a wider

picture of child abuse. Have the attitudes changed, do you think?

just look at video and I feel sickened by it. We have a

discussion about what kind of abuse and first and foremost we need to

think about the victims. Whatever level it has been, it is the

victims we need to think about and it makes me feel sick. It is

another story in the press and we need to make sure we do everything

to right the wrongs of the past and think first of almost that the

victims to encourage them to come forward. Alan has been very brave

about what he has said on film. Thank you so much.

It's a problem you'd have thought we might have solved by now, but it

seems the number of people going hungry in the North West is growing.

According to recent research, in the past year one in ten of us has

struggled to afford food. The numbers heading to Liverpool's food

banks has doubled in the last six months alone. And the Salvation

Army has received 1,300 referrals for Christmas food parcels just on

the Isle of Man. So what's the solution? According to one charity

working here in the region, it's to redistribute the thousands of tons

of perfectly good food manufacturers dump every year. Dave

Guest's been to find out how it works.

This centre in Manchester feeds the desperate and the destitute. Sister

Lucy is among those who keeps it going. She is outraged that while

some are now society struggle to get enough to read, good food often

goes to waste. I think it's just disgraceful. When I go to the

grocery shop where I shop, I think, they throw away enough to feed the

street every evening. I suspect many of us are guilty of throwing

food away from time to time and here in Salford this is where the

content of household bins ended up. But each year, food manufacturers

send millions of tons of surplus food to landfill. The charity Fare

Share aims to tackle such waste. It takes in surplus food from

manufacturers... And passes it on to organisations you can get it to

those in need. We have got juice that has come in, we have two Hall

boxes from Kellogg's later today, so we have got a big turnaround.

fact, this man has just arrived with a delivery from a major bakery

chain. Products find their way onto shelves here through a variety of

routes. Take, for example, these high-energy drinks. They were

purchased for the Olympic athletes at the London Games and when the

Games were over, thousands of these were left, so they were sent to

Fare Share and of being distributed across the country. The goods do

not stay in the warehouse for long. I joined the team on a delivery run.

Is it surprising there is such a need for a service like this?

in this day and age, poverty and so on... It shouldn't be happening.

First stop, a Community Church, where the volunteers were making up

food parcels for local people in need. What sort of people are they?

Mainly local people - families, single people, people in work but

may be doing part-time work and have not had any work that week.

Fare Share charges a nominal fee for each delivery to cover its

running costs. But the run is not just about dropping of supplies. It

is about picking them up, too. Kellogg's is one of their biggest

supporters. This one, the box has been damaged. The bag insiders

still sealed and the food is in perfect condition but the

supermarket will not take it. -- the bag inside his in perfect

condition. It has a year's life on it and that is the sort of thing we

would send to people. Back at the centre, lunch is being prepared.

Sister Lucy has Harrow an idea for dealing with firms who dump rather

than give away surplus stocks. -- has her own idea. I think they

should be fined for this. Kellogg's are not sure a big stick with be

the answer. We want to convert them into something better. I think it

is an embarrassment factor. Nobody likes to admit they have made

mistakes or created waste. And I think they do not like to admit

they have waste. And I think for us, we have overcome that. And that

Fare Share they have their own ideas. In France, there are

incentives, so food companies will donate surplus and receive a tax

break. 60% of the value of the stock can be deducted from the tax

bill. So if you had a system like this here, I am sure we would see

more food. Meanwhile, enlightened companies will continue to support

Fare Share as the charity tries to persuade others to join them.

And Lucy Danger from Fare Share joins us. In terms of this problem,

how much is it getting worse? have had a lot more individuals

phoning us, literally begging us for food, and we do not deal

directly with individuals and families. In terms of beneficiary

organisations approaching us, we have a big stack of applicants

waiting to be processed at the moment, so, yes, it is happening.

And for different reasons? Yes, we support breakfast clubs, charities

that work with people with drug and alcohol problems, a whole range of

different beneficiary organisations working with people to try to

address the root causes of their problems. What would you like to

see done about it? For one of the key things we need is more food

coming through, so as you can imagine, we get lots of things and

surpluses for lots of different reasons. As you have heard, it can

be damaged stock, a whole host of reasons why we get the food. But we

do not have a whole variety, particularly fresh vegetables and

fruit, meat, what makes for a healthy diet. How do you reform

things to be able to make the kind of changes Lucy is looking for?

think it is a really sad indictment that in the 21st organ at -- 21st

century we have organisations like this. Food vans across the country,

-- food banks. We should be doing everything to deal with waste in a

system. That is a separate issue. But we know at least 110,000 people

across the country have access to emergency food aid in the last six

months and I think that is shocking. I want the Government to think very

hard about why this is happening. And, Luciana, you've recently made

your own film on the subject of food poverty. Here's a quick

Only one or two pay packets a week away from having no money. Nobody

in this country should be relying on donations to food banks. So what

obviously meant a lot to you if you wanted to make that film. Did you

come to any... Was a different from what you expected as a result of

making it? -- was at different? knew it was a challenge and a

problem because I had constituents at my advice surgery who are

struggling to get by and hearing the stories from people and food

vans, not just in Liverpool where by live but across the country, too.

-- food banks. But it is not a recent problem. But if you look at

how many people are going to have to use a food banks by 2015, the

figures are frightening. Half a million people in this country. And

we have a cost-of-living crisis which is going to go up, and you

add to that the challenge that the biggest reason people tick the box

when they have their food bound ship -- food vouchers is because of

delays in receiving their benefit payments, up to eight weeks, so if

people have no money, they cannot afford it eat. Chris, what would

you do about it? Looking at this in the global context, I think Lucy

and her organisation is doing a great job because we have an

enormous problem of not just through poverty, but food waste. In

our own homes, we waste food re ridiculous degree even with the

population exploding as it is. A huge problem of good food, which is

not being used at a time when we need it. But it is getting worse

under this Government? Ida City today that Germany, probably the

richest country in Europe, one in six would be regarded in poverty.

So there are distribution problems and income distribution problems in

every country. But it doesn't make it any better for this country?

is not simply helping people who need help, but also environmentally

providing a means of reducing the problem of food waste. Or I feel

comfortable with the fat beagle needed? No, not at all. -- do I

feel comfortable with the fact that people need it? And what about the

push to make those reforms you feel are needed? The Common Fisheries

Policy is one that is really needed. We need to make sure that fish

stocks can be rebuilt, especially in our waters. And also changing

fishermen who take a short-term view for next season and not

thinking five years hence, we have to rebuild their fish stocks and

give them and everybody has a better future. And briefly, Lucy,

Todd extent you think up -- big business and organisations are

moving to a better attitude? have to make it the norm that the

food industry diverts surplus and in date food to organisations like

Fare Share and hopefully we are moving towards the note -- Better

direction. Maybe we need a manifesto or a pledge that the

industry can sign up to. Not just financial incentives, but others as

well. For and you for coming in. -- thank you.

Time for a round-up of the the rest of the week's news now, with Euan

Doak in 60 seconds. Almost an acrid years after these

protests, Manchester City Council has announced further job cuts. --

almost eight years. Lancashire is defending it supplied of Hal fowl

for school dinners. Becomes after the Lancashire councillor of

mosques says they are happy with how they are prepared. Bus drivers

on the Isle of Man are being balloted on strike action about

their lunch hour. They could lose �3,000 a year. Pulling a pint -

these shire waltzes were on hand to look -- to deliver local ale. If --

shire waltzes. -- shire or horses. And life in the digital fast-lane.

Homeowners in rural Lancashire have finally been linked up to the World

Wide Web. The first households in seven parishes across the Trough of

Bowland are online after laying So, several more hundred job cuts

being talked about at Manchester council. Things are as bad as ever,

as far as you're concerned? really worry about what is going to

happen. The councils are doing the Government's getting work,

essentially, with the deep cuts. It is very worrying for the people of

Manchester and Liverpool. necessary from your point of view?

The Government has inherited debts that are still growing. We are

paying enormous sums of interest just to pay the bills. We are