Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to ensure that distribution of food to communities with specific needs is maintained during the school holidays.

As schools open more widely, and their kitchens reopen, we expect schools to make food parcels available for collection or delivery for any children that are eligible for free school meals who are not yet able to return to school. Where this is not possible, schools can continue to offer vouchers to eligible pupils. It is not intended for the national voucher scheme to run during the summer holidays.

The government has made significant wider support available for children and families. On 10 June, my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister confirmed an additional £63 million to be distributed to local authorities in England to help those who are struggling to afford food and other essentials due to COVID-19.

In addition, the government has introduced an uplift to Universal Credit and Working Tax Credit by around £1,000 a year for the next 12 months as part of an injection of over £6.5 billion by government into the welfare system. Additionally, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs are providing £16 million for food support through charities including FareShare and WRAP.

The Department for Education will also be running the Holiday Activity and Food Programme this year with £9 million of funding for 10 programmes across 17 local authority areas. We will announce the names of the successful bidders for this funding later this month.