Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, if she will ensure the provision of funding for free sanitary products in (a) schools, (b) food banks and (c) homeless shelters.

We support schools in addressing the needs of disadvantaged pupils through the provision of the Pupil Premium, equivalent to almost £2.5bn of additional funding this year alone. Schools have discretion over how they use their funding and can make sanitary products available, if they identify this as a barrier to attendance.

Work gives people the best opportunity to move out of poverty. We’re committed to helping people find work through a wide-range of support targeted to each individual’s personal circumstances. As a safeguard for people needing more support, we have a well-established system of hardship payments, benefit advances and budgeting loans.