Asked by: Lord Kirkwood of Kirkhope (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what studies they have made of best practice existing in other countries in the provision of family support for children from low income families during school holidays.
Answered by Lord Nash
There is no Government research assessing the provision of family support for children from low income families in other countries.
The Child Poverty Strategy, published in June 2014, outlined the Government’s actions to tackle child poverty and improve the living standards of poor children.[1]
[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/child-poverty-strategy-2014-to-2017
Asked by: Lord Kirkwood of Kirkhope (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to support piloting child meal provision and enrichment programmes targeted on areas with high percentages of children receiving free school meals.
Answered by Lord Nash
The Child Poverty Strategy, published in June 2014, outlined the Government’s actions to tackle child poverty and improve the living standards of poor children.[1]
We are working with the charity ‘Magic Breakfast’ to help over 180 schools in some of the most deprived communities to set up breakfast provision to ensure that the children attending those schools start the day with a healthy breakfast as fuel for learning.
Universal infant free school meals will ensure that up to 1.5 million additional pupils are being offered a free nutritious meal every school day, helping them to do better in school, eat healthily and saving families up to £400 a year.
[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/child-poverty-strategy-2014-to-2017
Asked by: Lord Kirkwood of Kirkhope (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what arrangements they are making to provide adequate nutrition for children of school age during long school holidays.
Answered by Lord Nash
The Child Poverty Strategy, published in June 2014, outlined the Government’s actions to tackle child poverty and improve the living standards of poor children.[1]
In relation to nutrition, the Government has introduced Healthy Start Vouchers for young children in low-income families, free school meals for all infant school pupils, and breakfast clubs in deprived areas. In addition, children aged four to six attending state schools continue to be entitled to receive a free piece of fruit or vegetable each school day.
Universal infant free school meals will ensure that up to 1.5 million additional pupils are being offered a free nutritious meal every school day, helping them to do better in school, eat healthily and saving families up to £400 a year.
[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/child-poverty-strategy-2014-to-2017
Asked by: Lord Kirkwood of Kirkhope (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have considered including school holiday provision in passported benefits to be included in Universal Credit.
Answered by Lord Nash
The Child Poverty Strategy, published in June 2014, outlined the Government’s actions to tackle child poverty and improve the living standards of poor children.[1]
We have not considered including school holiday provision in passported benefits to be included in Universal Credit.
[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/child-poverty-strategy-2014-to-2017
Asked by: Lord Kirkwood of Kirkhope (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate of the cost to the Exchequer of providing adequate nutrition for children of school age during long school holidays.
Answered by Lord Nash
The Child Poverty Strategy, published in June 2014, outlined the Government’s actions to tackle child poverty and improve the living standards of poor children. [1]
The Government has not made an estimate of the costs to the Exchequer of providing adequate nutrition for children for children of school age during the school holidays.
Universal infant free school meals will ensure that up to 1.5 million additional pupils are being offered a free nutritious meal every school day, helping them to do better in school, eat healthily and saving families up to £400 a year.
[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/child-poverty-strategy-2014-to-2017
Asked by: Lord Kirkwood of Kirkhope (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have carried out any research to ascertain the physical and mental effects on the ability of children from low income households to learn caused by poor nutrition during long school holidays.
Answered by Lord Nash
The Child Poverty Strategy, published in June 2014, outlined the Government’s actions to tackle child poverty and improve the living standards of poor children.[1]
The Government has made no specific assessment of the effects on child nutrition in low income households during school holidays.
Universal infant free school meals will ensure that up to 1.5 million additional pupils are being offered a free nutritious meal every school day, helping them to do better in school, eat healthily and saving families up to £400 a year.
[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/child-poverty-strategy-2014-to-2017