Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will provide a list of (a) primary, (b) secondary, (c) academy and (d) free schools whose pupils are being provided with food packages by Chartwells.

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 catering contracts are agreed locally, and the department does not hold a contract with Chartwells UK or any other food company to provide free school meals or lunch parcels to children. We have guidance in place allowing schools to decide the best approach for their pupils. This can be through lunch parcels, locally arranged vouchers or the national voucher scheme.