Food glorious food (From The Northern Echo)

Food glorious food

2:33pm Friday 27th January 2012 in Letters

AS part of the ongoing work programme I start my full-time mandatory training scheme in March,which lasts a number of weeks.

I now have eight hours a day of CV writing, job search and interview techniques to look forward to.

I have been placed on a training allowance which pays the same as what a young person gets on jobseeker’s (£53.45).

But something is missing.

Food or drink is not included in the training allowance. Why?

The programme is full-time and mandatory so it is not as if I have a choice.

How come pampered members of parliament get a lavish food subsidy when they are in the swanky House of Commons restaurant. They get a £5.8m a year subsidy, to be precise, and still they are not satisfied.

Some even have the cheek to complain they are being served soggy chips, dry fishcakes and leather-like salami.

One even complained his boiled egg had been cut into quarters but only had three pieces of egg on his plate. What I would give for that!

There is one bit of hope.

Despite no food and drink allowance I have been offered use of a small dining area for me to bring in a packed lunch and a drink. If members of parliament were offered this there would be a riot.

Stephanie Finnegan, Normanby.