Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make it her policy to implement the National Food Strategy recommendation that the true cost of eating healthily should be calculated into benefits payments; and if she will make a statement.

The current rates of income-related benefits such as Universal Credit do not represent a minimum requirement and are not described as such in legislation. The Government specifies the rates which are applicable to different benefits, and these may vary according to claimants' circumstances.

Income-related benefit rates are not made up of separate amounts for specific items of expenditure such as food or fuel charges, and beneficiaries are free to spend their benefit as they see fit, in the light of their individual commitments, needs and preferences.

The Government has expanded free school meals to more children than any other, including rolling out universal infant free school meals to all children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2, ensuring a further 1.25 million pupils receive a free nutritious meal each day, in addition to the 1.9m children that receive benefits related free school meals.

The Holiday Activities and Food programme has been expanded to operate across all England Local Authorities, providing over £600m for the next 3 years. Last summer reaching over 600,000 children.

We are investing up to £24 million into the National School Breakfast Programme, benefitting up to 2,500 schools in disadvantaged areas, building on the previous programme.

The Government also increased the value of Healthy Start Food Vouchers from £3.10 to £4.25, (children aged under one receive £8.50 in total, every week), helping eligible low-income households to buy fresh, frozen and tinned fruit and vegetables, fresh, milk and infant formula. Recipients are also eligible for free Healthy Start vitamins.