A Tory minister has been slammed after he said using foodbanks is a personal choice.
Veterans Minister Johnny Mercer said it is “not correct” that people are forced to use foodbanks and suggested that some members of the armed forces are using them because of personal budgeting decisions.
Labour said Mercer's comments showed how "out of touch" the Tories are.
The SNP waded in, saying the allegation "has no basis in reality".
Foodbank charity the Trussell Trust said people only use the service "as a last resort having exhausted all other avenues."
The charity gave out 260,000 parcels in Scotland last year.
Former British Army captain Mercer told Sky News: “These are personal decisions around how people are budgeting every month.
“I don’t want to see anyone using food banks, of course I don’t. But we’re in an extremely difficult time around cost of living.
“I’ll always advocate for service personnel to get paid more, I’d be mad not to. But it has to be within the constraints of a budget.”
When it was put to him that people do not choose to rely on food banks for their provisions, Mercer replied: “Well, in my experience that is not correct.
“I think there are some dire cases that we need to do more to wrap our arms around and make sure that there is a safety net for people.
“I don’t think food bank use is an accurate portrayal of where levels of poverty, relative or absolute poverty, are in this country.”
Food banks are often run by charities and community groups, giving free packages of donated goods to those who cannot afford shop prices.
Those attending food banks tend to be referred by a service or specialist, such as a doctor, health visitor, social workers or Citizens Advice.
Labour Shadow Scotland Secretary Ian Murray said: “This just shows how out of touch this government is.
"They’ve presided over an explosion of people needing to use food banks to survive and now they dismiss them in this way. Time for them to go.”
SNP Social Justice spokesperson David Linden said: “The kind of disappointing rhetoric from senior UK Government ministers labelling foodbank use as a ‘personal choice’ has no basis in reality and is symptomatic of the Tories’ ignorance towards those suffering the most at the hands of the ongoing cost-of-living crisis they created.
“Ordinary households in Scotland are being made to pay a heavy price for thirteen years of Tory austerity and their damaging Brexit, supported by the Labour party, which has left millions poorer.
“And while the SNP Scottish Government has used its limited powers to mitigate Tory austerity and reduce poverty, our efforts have been hindered by Westminster who continue to offer no solutions for struggling families.
“Only the SNP is offering a real alternative at the next election. Voting SNP is the only way to secure independence, tackle the cost of living and get rid of unelected Tory governments for good.”
Head of Scotland at the Trussell Trust Polly Jones said: "Hunger in Scotland, our landmark research published last week, found that the overwhelming majority of people at food banks have been forced to seek help as a last resort having exhausted all other avenues.
"The study also reported that, despite 93 per cent saying they were treated with dignity and respect at food banks, 62 per cent of people turning to food banks say that they feel embarrassed while receiving support.
"These findings correlate with insights shared by the food banks in our network who report that people accessing their services are often struggling with stigma and shame at needing to seek support.
"People are forced to turn to food banks because they are experiencing hunger and their income does not cover the cost of the essentials.
"People are being forced to make choices but they are impossible ones, such as whether to heat or eat, and these are decisions that no one should have to make.
"Last year, Scottish food banks in the Trussell Trust network distributed 260,000 emergency parcels and more than 62,000 people in Scotland accessed support for the first time.
"These numbers reflect a 50 per cent increase compared to the number of parcels provided five years ago. Right now, millions of people across the UK are struggling with hunger and this is not right."
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