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<p>We are working closely across Government, with representatives of the food supply
chain and with local authorities and charities to ensure that people who need to stay
at home will have continued access to food.</p><p>To help supermarkets, the Government
has already introduced new measures to keep food supply flowing. We have temporarily
relaxed elements of competition law to enable supermarkets to work more closely together
to ensure people can access the products they need. Food retailers will now be able
to share data on their stock levels, cooperate to keep stores open and share staff,
distribution depots and delivery vehicles. This will help keep shops open and staffed
and better able to meet high demand. Guidance has been issued to local authorities
to show flexibility to allow extended delivery hours to supermarkets to ensure shelves
can be replenished more quickly. The Transport Secretary has also announced a temporary
and limited relaxation of the drivers’ hours rules so that more goods can be delivered
to every store every day. We welcome the actions that industry is taking, including
hiring more staff, including prioritising delivery slots for those that need them
most.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is working to ensure that up to 1.5 million people
in England identified by the NHS as being at higher risk of severe illness if they
contract Coronavirus will have access to the food they need. A new Local Support System
will make sure those individuals self-isolating at home and who are without a support
network of friends and family will receive basic groceries. The Government is working
with a partnership of the groceries industry, local government, local resilience forums
and emergency partners, and voluntary groups, to ensure that essential items can start
to be delivered as soon as possible to those who need it.</p>
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