Labour calls for free school meals over May half term and summer holiday

Kate Green will call on ministers to extend free school meals over the May half term and summer holiday period after research from the party estimated that over half a million children became eligible in the first year of the pandemic.

Commenting on analysis of government figures, which showed that between March and October last year 11,000 children became eligible, the Shadow Education Secretary warned ministers that “feeding children is not a half-time activity”.

Combined with data obtained by the party via a freedom of information request, which reported that 418,000 children became eligible between March and December, Labour said this suggested that 549,472 became entitled to the support last year.

“The Conservatives have failed to support families throughout this pandemic and are now reliant on local councils to plug gaps in free school meals support throughout the holidays,” the Shadow Education Secretary said today.

“Feeding children is not a half-time activity. Labour is calling on the Conservatives to trust parents with the money for free school meals so they can buy the food and supplies their children need throughout the whole of the holidays.”

Green will make the demand during a visit to Wolverhampton on Wednesday. Labour has repeatedly called for free school meals to be provided throughout the health crisis. The government initially rejected the proposal during an opposition day debate last October, causing a public outcry.

Further outrage was sparked after inadequate food packages, later distributed to households with children eligible for school meals who were studying at home while schools were closed in the pandemic, were shared on social media.

One Twitter user shared a picture of a parcel supposedly comprising £30 worth of food, containing two potatoes, two carrots, three apples, pasta, soreen, three frubes, eight single cheese sandwiches, a tin of baked beans and a loaf of bread.

The government announced a plan for food and activities over the summer for families with children eligible for free school meals earlier this year, but Labour has said that this will leave children going hungry over the upcoming half term.

The plan for the summer ‘holiday activities and food programme‘ proposes that local authorities provide support to families for only four days a week, across four weeks of the holiday, which is equivalent to 16 out of 30 week days.

Campaigners including footballer Marcus Rashford, Food for Life and Children’s Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza have called on the government to extend the provision announced by the government over the entirety of the summer break.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said in April: “I am confident this summer of enrichment and engagement in academic work will be a great success, tailored to local circumstances by their local authorities and also the wonderful heads and teachers who best understand the needs of their students.”