Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the cost to the public purse is of outsourcing the preparation and delivery of food parcels to children eligible for free school meals.

The continuing provision of free school meals to children from out of work families or those on low incomes is of the utmost importance to this government.

School leaders know their communities best and have flexibility to select the most appropriate support for their pupils.

The pictures of food parcels circulating are not acceptable and not in line with guidance. On 13 January 2021, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, met the leading school food suppliers and caterers to insist on urgent action to make sure lunch parcels meet the standards we expect. I’m grateful to those firms who are working hard with schools to provide nutritious, balanced lunches for children.

School catering contracts are agreed locally, and the department does not hold a contract with any provider to provide free school meals of lunch parcels to children. We have guidance in place allowing schools to decide the best approach for supporting free school meal pupils who are at home. This can be through lunch parcels, local vouchers or the national voucher scheme which was available from Monday 18 January 2021.

If a parent is concerned about the standards of their lunch parcel, they should speak directly with their school. If a parent cannot resolve their concern through their school, they can contact the Department. The Department will make contact with suppliers where concerns are escalated, to ensure they are following the good practice guidance we have set out. We will also alert the school to confirm appropriate contract management arrangements are in place, so that immediate improvements are made.

Schools and caterers have been provided with extensive guidance from the department and from LACA on what each food parcel should include. They should follow our school food standards to ensure they are healthy, nutritious and sufficient. They should:

• contain food items rather than pre-prepared meals due to food safety considerations;
• minimise the fridge and freezer space that schools and families will need to store foods
• contain items which parents can use to prepare healthy lunches for their child/children across the week;
• not rely on parents having additional ingredients at home to prepare meals;
• not contain items restricted under the school food standards, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/standards-for-school-food-in-england;
• cater for pupils who require special diets, for example, allergies, vegetarians or religious diets - schools should ensure there are systems in place to avoid cross-contamination;
• and contain appropriate packaging sizes for household use, rather than wholesale sizes.

The government will continue to provide schools with their expected funding throughout this period. To recognise the additional cost of provision for pupils at home, schools will be able to claim additional funding:

• up to £3.50 per eligible pupil, per week, where lunch parcels are being provided, to top up the £11.50 they already receive to provide lunches;
• and up to £15 per eligible pupil, per week, where vouchers for local shops or supermarkets are being provided.

As was the case over Christmas, vulnerable children and families will continue to receive meals and other essentials over February half term via councils through the £170 million Covid Winter Grants Scheme launched last year. Local authorities understand which groups need support, and are best placed to ensure appropriate holiday support is provided – which is why the funding will be distributed by them, rather than schools, who will continue providing meals to disadvantaged children during term-time. Families who need support should speak to their local authority.