Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will take steps to ensure that free school breakfast and lunch provision continues during the (a) May half-term and (b) summer holidays during the covid-19 outbreak.

Ordinarily, provision for free school meals (FSM) is during term-time only. However, during the Easter holidays, the department met the costs of offering FSM to eligible pupils not attending school during term-time weeks. This was in recognition of the unprecedented levels of disruption and uncertainty for schools during this time.

These are rapidly developing circumstances. We will continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.