Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of providing pupils who are eligible for free school meals with food vouchers during the summer holidays; and if he will make that his policy.

Free school meals (FSM) are an educational entitlement and intended to support children while they are learning. Pupils do not receive FSM when they are not receiving education, including during school holidays.

Children who are in receipt of FSM are eligible for a place on the holiday activities and food programme, free of charge. This is being delivered in all 152 local authorities in England and ensures that disadvantaged children have access to healthy food and enriching activities during the longer school holiday periods.