THE numbers of people turning to food banks for help in Glasgow and across the UK is astonishing and charities are being forced to open more to meet the demand.

Chris Mould, of the Trussell Trust, which is about to open its fourth food bank in Glasgow, the 17th in the city, is absolutely right when he says the level of food poverty is unacceptable.

Rising costs of living, more unemployment and welfare cuts have all been cited as reasons for the growing number of families turning to charity for food.

When a single event leads to deaths or when a serious system failure occurs, there are calls for public inquiries, to learn lessons to prevent future tragedies.

Many would argue hundreds of thousands of people relying on charity for food is a perfectly good reason to investigate why, and learn lessons for the future.

The generosity of donors and charity volunteers is all that is standing between some families and hunger and as the Trussell Trust shows, the numbers keep growing on a weekly basis.

Food banks are not part of the welfare state and should not become an acceptable part of modern life in Scotland.

Mr Mould said the situation is "scandalous" and it is hard to disagree with him.