Health: Children

(asked on 5th July 2022) - View Source

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will take steps to help ensure that the potential impact of the cost of living crisis on school meals does not affect the health of children.


Answered by
Will Quince Portrait
Will Quince
This question was answered on 20th July 2022

The provision of healthy school meals, free to those children who are eligible for them, is of the utmost importance to the government. The department is holding regular meetings with other government departments and food industry representatives, covering a variety of issues, including public sector food supplies.

All contracts for school food are held at school, multi-academy trust, or local authority level. Schools are responsible for the provision of both free and paid-for meals, and how much to spend on school food provision.

Under the benefits-related criteria, the department provides a free healthy meal to around 1.9 million children, ensuring they are well-nourished and can concentrate and learn. The department also spends around £600 million per year ensuring around 1.25 million infants enjoy a free, healthy, and nutritious meal at lunchtime, following the introduction of the Universal Infant Free School Meal policy in 2014.

The government understands the pressures people are facing with the cost of living. These are global challenges, and this is why the government is providing over £15 billion in further support, targeted particularly at those with the greatest need. This package is in addition to the over £22 billion announced previously, with government support for the cost of living now totalling over £37 billion this year. This includes an additional £500 million to help households with the cost of household essentials, on top of what the department has provided since October 2021. This brings total funding for this support to £1.5 billion. In England, this will take the form of an extension to the Household Support Fund backed by £421 million, running from 1 October 2022 to 31 March 2023. Devolved administrations will receive £79 million through the Barnett formula.

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