Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate her Department has made of the additional cost relative to the previous system of additional entitlements to free school meals created by new eligibility criteria under universal credit.

We will continue to ensure that children from the poorest families benefit from a free school meal. My Department is continuing to work closely with the Department for Work and Pensions to consider eligibility criteria for free school meals following the introduction of Universal Credit. In the meantime, any child in a family in receipt of Universal Credit will continue to be entitled to free school meals.