Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he plans to provide meals for children accessing (a) free childcare and (b) pre-school provision.

The government's early education funding is intended to deliver 15 or 30 hours a week (for 38 weeks of the year) of free, high quality, flexible childcare for eligible 2, 3 and 4-year-olds. It is not intended to cover the costs of meals, other consumables, additional hours or additional services.

However, pupils attending a local authority maintained, academy or free school nursery are entitled to free school meals: as long as they are either in full-time education or receive education both before and after lunch and meet the benefits-based free school meal eligibility criteria. Pupils attending a private nursery or pre-school are not entitled to free school meals.

The government also provides help with up to 70% of childcare costs for people on low incomes through working tax credits, which in April 2016 increased to 85% through Universal Credit.