THIS week I went to Tesco to help with their neighbourhood food collection, held in conjunction with The Trussell Trust, which co-ordinates the UK's nationwide network of food banks.

According to statistics provided by the Trussell Trust, more than one million people were given supplies from food banks in the past year. Between 2008 and 2015, this number has increased by nearly 40 times. There has been a lot of media attention around foodbanks and the rise in their usage.

The rise is no doubt in part due to the fact that there is publicity around foodbanks which was not allowed before. It shows that the publicity is working and that those in need are getting additional support. We must now look at addressing the causes of people needing to attend foodbanks.

Anyone who has visited a foodbank will understand that most people who use them are coping with a short-term crisis. Delays in receiving benefits are a huge cause of difficulties and my office works with local residents who have been affected to ensure they receive their support as soon as possible and the Department for Work and Pensions is becoming far more efficient at distributing benefits correctly.

The government is also working hard to help producers and retailers offer the best prices by improving competition. At the same time there is progress on making work pay. The new increased National Living Wage, which comes in next year, will help reduce those in poverty by giving millions of the lowest paid a pay rise.

I am a huge supporter of foodbanks. Those who donate to foodbanks and those who volunteer there are local heroes and they need our support, but I would like to see the need for their use decrease significantly. I would like to see the Government trial that is currently underway in Manchester rolled out to other areas of the country, which sites benefits experts, careers advisers and training providers in foodbanks to help ensure people correctly claim the benefits they are entitled to, to help them with additional training and to find a job.

This needs to be openly talked about, to break down the social stigma surrounding foodbanks and I would like to see a non-political, detailed report on why their usage has increased and whether there is more that the Government, communities or society can do to support those who need to use a foodbank.

I welcome the work that Tesco and others are doing to support foodbanks and the poorest in our society. It is a topic that we should not be afraid of talking about, but when doing so it should not be used as a political football. That, as with all things that become political footballs, benefits no one.