MORE should be done to help the poor as rising numbers of Scots families are dependant on food banks for their Christmas dinner this year, David Cameron has warned.
The Prime Minister's intervention came after the Trussell Trust, one of the UK's largest food bank providers, made the claim in a report.
There are more than 11 food banks in Scotland currently helping people, and another 10 are in the process of opening.
An estimated 4300 adults and 2000 children have received emergency food parcels. The numbers are expected to increase in the next few months, partly as a result of rising food and energy prices.
Welfare reforms and rising food prices have been cited as the cause of this demand, with food banks supplied by organisations including churches and businesses.
Challenged on the figures, the Prime Minister said that he "shared" Labour's concerns over households struggling to pay their bills, and added: "I agree we need to do more to help the poorest in our country."
But he denied that his Tory-LibDem Coalition was presiding over falling living standards for many families, arguing that it was keeping down inflation and increasing the number of private sector jobs.
Labour leader Ed Miliband accused Mr Cameron of being "out of touch", while Labour's shadow Scottish Secretary Margaret Curran described the growth in demand for food banks in Scotland as "a scandal".
She said: "It's appalling that we live in one of the richest countries in the world, but people have to rely on food banks to feed their families.
"This isn't just affecting people who are out of work, it's also hitting hard-working families on low incomes who are seeing their food and fuel bills increase.
Up to 30 food banks are due to open by 2014 to cope with demand, a spokesman said yesterday.
The Trussell Trust is one of a number of organisations that run food banks in Scotland, with the Salvation Army, Destiny's Angels and church group St Vincent de Paul all reporting an upsurge in need.
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