Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will set up a national scheme to provide additional funding for schools to provide meals or vouchers for pupils eligible for free school meals; and if he will make a statement.

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. No child who would ordinarily receive a free school meal should go without due to school closures or having to self-isolate at home.

We are encouraging schools to speak to their catering team or provider to see if they can prepare meals or food parcels that could be delivered to or collected by families, ensuring they are distributed in line with social distancing guidelines.

If that is not possible, the department has launched a centrally-funded national voucher scheme to support schools. Guidance is available at the link below:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-free-school-meals-guidance/covid-19-free-school-meals-guidance-for-schools.

We understand that other approaches, such as providing food parcels or purchasing vouchers for shops currently not included in the national scheme, may mean that schools incur additional expenses.

Further guidance is available setting out how we will compensate schools who incur these additional costs: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-financial-support-for-schools.