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Written Question
Free School Meals: Coronavirus
Thursday 28th January 2021

Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty's Government which companies have contracts to supply free school meals during the COVID-19 pandemic; and what is the total value of those contracts.

Answered by Baroness Berridge

Schools are free to decide the best approach for their free school meal pupils. They can provide lunch parcels, locally arranged vouchers, or they can use the national voucher scheme which re-opened on 18 January 2021.

School catering contracts are agreed locally, either by the school, the academy trust or the local authority. The department does not hold a contract with any provider to provide free school meals or lunch parcels to children. We do not hold information on the total value of these contracts.

Schools will be able to claim £3.50 per eligible pupil per week when providing lunch parcels or meals, which is in addition to their existing free school meal funding, taking the amount available for a lunch parcel to around £15. If schools need to purchase vouchers locally, they can claim up to £15 per eligible child per week from the department, and all valid claims will be paid in full. We will publish further details shortly.

The contract with Edenred for the National Voucher Scheme will cover voucher provision between week commencing 18 January and February half-term. Schools are able to place orders for supermarket gift cards on behalf of parents and carers worth up to £15 a week per eligible child. If using the national voucher scheme, costs will be covered centrally by the department.




Written Question
Educational Institutions
Friday 15th May 2020

Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to re-open (1) schools, (2) colleges, and (3) universities; and when they intend to announce any such plans.

Answered by Baroness Berridge

As a result of the huge efforts everyone has made to adhere to strict social distancing measures, the transmission rate of coronavirus (COVID-19) has decreased. We therefore anticipate, with further progress, that we may be able to welcome back more children to early years, school and further education settings from the week commencing 1 June 2020. We will only do this provided that the five key tests set by government justify the changes at the time, including that the rate of infection is decreasing. As a result we are asking schools, colleges and childcare providers to plan on this basis, ahead of confirmation that these tests are met.

From the week commencing 1 June 2020 at the earliest, we will be asking primary schools to welcome back children in Nursery, Reception, year 1 and year 6, alongside priority groups (vulnerable children and children of critical workers). We will ask secondary schools, sixth form and further education colleges to offer some face-to-face support to supplement the remote education of year 10 and year 12 (and equivalent) students who are due to take key exams next year, alongside the provision they are offering to priority groups.

Regarding the re-opening of universities, the department expects universities, as autonomous institutions, to make their own judgements based on the latest Public Health England guidance. Universities are continuing to provide high quality teaching online. We are working with the higher education sector to develop guidance and best practice that will be needed for universities to make informed decisions about their provision.

Additionally, we have also provided guidance to parents and carers about schools and education settings during the coronavirus outbreak: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/closure-of-educational-settings-information-for-parents-and-carers.


Written Question
Educational Institutions: Coronavirus
Tuesday 31st March 2020

Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to close schools, universities and colleges as a result of COVID-19; and if they have any such plans, when they intend to introduce such closures.

Answered by Baroness Berridge

On 18 March, the Government announced that after schools shut their gates on 20 March, they will remain closed until further notice. That will be for all children except those of critical workers and the children who are most vulnerable.

The Government are expecting early years providers, independent schools. sixth forms and further education colleges to do the same.

Many universities and other higher education institutions are already taking necessary steps to keep their staff and students safe and, where possible, keep providing education. The Department for Education is confident that vice-chancellors are making the right decisions and will continue to support them to do so.


Written Question
House of Lords: Coronavirus
Thursday 19th March 2020

Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker what plans there are to ban visitors to the House of Lords.

Answered by Lord McFall of Alcluith

An initial set of measures to reduce visitor access to the House of Lords and the wider Parliamentary Estate, as part of the Parliamentary response to Covid-19, were introduced from Monday 16 March. These were as follows:

  • No new banqueting bookings to be accepted. Existing bookings taking place from Monday 16 March onwards have been cancelled but deposits will be refunded.
  • No new commercial tour bookings to be accepted. Existing bookings taking place from Monday 16 March onwards have been cancelled but tickets will be refunded.
  • Events in Westminster Hall or in the larger Committee Rooms (known as ‘mass lobbies’) are not being facilitated during the period.
  • In order to limit numbers, APPGs are not to invite non-passholding guests on to the Parliamentary Estate.
  • All pass holders, including Members, are not to bring non-passholding guests on to the Parliamentary Estate who are visiting for non-Parliamentary business-related purposes or for social purposes.

Subsequently the Speakers and political leadership agreed further restrictions, which came into force on Tuesday 17 March. These extended to cover the exclusion of non-essential visitors from coming onto the Parliamentary estate, including member tours, school visits, visitors to the galleries of both Houses (save the press gallery), and democratic access tours. Currently, visitors on official business continue to be allowed onto the Estate. This includes civil servants briefing Ministers and committee witnesses.

These measures will last until further notice, and the Lord Speaker and political leadership of the House are keeping matters under review.