The Department of Work and Pensions is solving the problem of people being referred to food banks by, er, banning use of the word “referral” and ensuring Jobcentre staff don’t offer anybody food bank vouchers. Instead, they’re to be “signposted” and given “signposting slips” that can be, er, traded for food at food banks. The numbers are not recorded.

This means that if you file a FOI request asking how many people are being referred to food banks, the DWP can accurately say “none”.

What a wonderful world.