Banff and Buchan MP David Duguid has urged vulnerable constituents that need help ‘opting in’ to a priority supermarket food delivery system to get in touch.
Concerns have been raised about the scheme in Scotland after it emerged only one in ten people eligible had registered for the scheme.
The Scottish Government introduced a different system to the one in place in England, where hundreds of thousands of people have benefited over the past week.
One of the major supermarkets said on Thursday that it had not yet received an approved list of vulnerable people from the Scottish Government. This was almost a week after the UK Government provided all supermarkets south of the border with its register.
Under the approach adopted by SNP ministers, vulnerable people are supposed to receive ‘shielding’ letters that guarantee special access and a free box of produce. However, anyone wanting to use it has to opt in via text message.
Mr Duguid said
There has been some confusion about this system and it seems that there has been nowhere near the take-up so far that there should be.
I have been approached by constituents that have been unable to register.
In England, the government provided a list directly to the supermarkets and deliveries started a week ago.
However, the Scottish Government set-up means that people have to register their desire to ‘opt-in’.
So far, only a small number of people have signed up.
I would urge anyone with questions about this, or who needs help to get onto the register, to get in touch with my office.
