Educational Settings

Debate between Ben Everitt and Gavin Williamson

Wednesday 18th March 2020 Commons Chamber

[Gavin Williamson]

The entitlement will be for all children who would normally be in receipt of free school meals, as against a much broader entitlement. We hope that families with vouchers will make best use of that money to make sure that it goes as far as possible. We certainly hope that it is a nutritious and good lunch.

Going back to what the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne Central (Chi Onwurah) raised about how we can work with local authorities and schools to offer more hot meals on premises, that is something that we are looking at. We have to recognise that there will be constraints in the system, however, especially with the spread of the virus, which will mean that that will not necessarily always be possible.

[Ben Everitt (Milton Keynes North) (Con)]

Can the Secretary of State confirm that the forthcoming emergency coronavirus legislation will contain measures to disapply certain restrictions and regulations to allow schools to react and adapt to these difficult times?

[Gavin Williamson]

I absolutely assure my hon. Friend that that will be the case. That is why we are bringing forward the Bill.