Asked by: Kate Osamor (Independent - Edmonton)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate his Department has made of the cost of permanently extending eligibility for free school meals to pupils with no recourse to public funds.
Answered by Vicky Ford
During the COVID-19 outbreak we are temporarily extending free school meals eligibility to include some groups who have no recourse to public funds. We do not currently hold estimates for the cost of permanently extending eligibility on this basis.
The Department does not currently collect data regarding the take up of free school meals from children of families who are subject to a no recourse to public funds condition.
The Department has engaged in discussion with Home Office colleagues throughout the policy-making process.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Independent - Edmonton)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of children of families who are subject to the no recourse to public funds condition have received free school meals in each month since May 2020.
Answered by Vicky Ford
During the COVID-19 outbreak we are temporarily extending free school meals eligibility to include some groups who have no recourse to public funds. We do not currently hold estimates for the cost of permanently extending eligibility on this basis.
The Department does not currently collect data regarding the take up of free school meals from children of families who are subject to a no recourse to public funds condition.
The Department has engaged in discussion with Home Office colleagues throughout the policy-making process.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Independent - Edmonton)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, who was consulted on plans to permanently extend eligibility for free schools meals to children with Zambrano carers, families receiving Section 4 support, families receiving section 17 (Children Act 1989) support and families with leave to remain under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights; whether the findings of that consultation will be published; and what steps the Government plans to take in response to that consultation.
Answered by Vicky Ford
We have temporarily extended our eligibility for free school meals during the COVID-19 outbreak to include children of Zambrano carers, families with leave to remain under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, families receiving section 17 support who also have a no recourse to public funds condition and to families receiving section 4 support.
This extension was implemented urgently and our consultation was limited to other government departments in the time available. No formal consultation was undertaken beyond this.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Independent - Edmonton)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether his Department is taking steps to encourage independent schools to reopen on 1 June 2020.
Answered by Nick Gibb
As a result of the huge efforts everyone has made to adhere to strict social distancing measures, the transmission rate of COVID-19 has decreased and the Government’s five tests have been met. Based on all the evidence, the Department asked primary schools to welcome back children in nursery, reception, year 1 and year 6, alongside priority groups (vulnerable children and children of critical workers), from 1 June. From 15 June, secondary schools can invite year 10 and 12 pupils (years 10 and 11 for alternative provision schools) back into school for some face-to-face support with their teachers, to supplement their remote education, which will remain the predominant mode of education for these pupils this term. Priority groups can continue to attend full-time.
To support schools the Department has published guidance on GOV.UK:
The guidance makes clear that we expect all mainstream schools, including independent schools, to follow the same approach.
Both officials and ministers are in frequent contact with the Independent Schools Council about the wider opening of schools.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Independent - Edmonton)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the Government plans to extend free school meal provision into the (a) spring half-term and and (b) summer holidays.
Answered by Vicky Ford
As both my right hon. Friends, the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer, have made clear, the government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID-19.
Our latest guidance for schools is set out below:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-schools-and-other-educational-settings.
Provision for free school meals is ordinarily term time only. However, during the Easter holidays the department met the costs of offering free school meals to eligible pupils not attending school during term time weeks. This was in recognition of the unprecedented levels of disruption and uncertainty for schools during this time. Whether or not such a measure continues to be appropriate in future holiday periods will be confirmed in due course.
These are rapidly developing circumstances. We continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Independent - Edmonton)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he place in the Library the Government guidance issued to schools on what support schools must provide to children who come from families without recourse to public funds.
Answered by Vicky Ford
Guidance for schools regarding the temporary provision of free school meals for children from certain groups of families with no recourse to public funds is currently available online here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-free-school-meals-guidance/guidance-for-the-temporary-extension-of-free-school-meals-eligibility-to-nrpf-groups.
We will place the guidance in the Libraries of both Houses.