'Daft' food handouts ban binned

The chair of the London Assembly has welcomed Boris Johnson’s decision to ‘bin’ a ‘daft proposal’ to curb the amount of food handouts businesses give to homeless people.

The London mayor last week confirmed he would not pursue a proposal put forward at a meeting with councils on rough sleeping in November to warn businesses such as Pret a Manger about the ‘unintended consequences’ of donating unsold food to homeless people.

In an answer to Darren Johnson at his monthly question time, the London mayor said: ‘The proposal from a member of the [mayor’s rough sleeping group] for a campaign is not being pursued.’

He insisted he had ‘no intention or wish’ to deter companies from handing out surplus food to rough sleepers.

Darren Johnson, who is also the chair of the assembly’s housing committee, said: ‘I welcome the mayor’s sensible decision to bin this daft proposal. I fully accept that homeless people need a comprehensive package of support.

‘But this proposal came after moves by councils and the police to ban or deter rough sleepers and the organisations which provide care and food for them. Public authorities should be supporting companies and charities who hand out free food to provide this wider support, rather than trying to curb their charity.’