Food Price Inflation Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Baroness Lister of Burtersett
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Food Price Inflation
Baroness Lister of Burtersett Excerpts(1 year, 2 months ago)
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Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Lab)
My Lords, it is good to hear the Minister talking so positively about school meals, so why are the Government still rejecting the calls from Henry Dimbleby and public health leaders to extend free school meals to all children in families on universal credit? When food prices are going up so much, we will have more hungry children than we have already.
Lord Benyon (Con)
As the noble Baroness will know, we have extended free school meals to the largest group of children for decades, and we will continue to look at any other measures we can take. I draw her attention to the work that the Department of Health and Social Care has done for infants. It has increased Healthy Start food vouchers from £3.10 to £4.25, which is a significant increase, helping low-income families to buy basic food such as milk, fruit and vitamins, ensuring that families are not choosing between costs and healthy choices. There are many other areas where the Government can assist, such as advice on diet and nutrition that enables families to make the right choices for them.