Labour today gives the government 72 hours to extend the
provision of free school meals until the Spring – or face a
Commons vote.
Warning that Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s ‘sink-or-swim’ plans
for support for families risks leaving more than 1.4 children
hungry over school holidays, Shadow Education Secretary Kate
Green says that “now is the time to act.”
The October half term comes as millions of families face a
furlough cliff-edge that could see jobs across the country at
risk, at the same time as millions of families face tighter
restrictions.
The coronavirus pandemic has been particularly challenging
for parents, who were almost twice as likely to be furloughed as
workers without children. The government’s new Job Support
Scheme has substantial holes in it, which, according to the
Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), means 1.8million
jobs remain at risk.
Labour’s call follows mounting pressure on the government
from Marcus Rashford’s campaign, and the announcement that the
Welsh Government will extend free school meals over the holidays
for children in Wales.A petition including a call to expand
access to free school meals over the holiday attracted more than
100,000 signatures in less than a day.
There are more than 1.44 million children across the
country who are eligible for free school meals, growing up in
families in receipt of certain legacy benefits, or Universal
Credit below a set income threshold.
Extending free school meals to school holidays until
Springwould see the equivalent of £15 in additional support to
the families of over 1.4 million children in every week of the
school holidays, including October half term and
Christmas.
, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Education,
said:
“Millions of families face the prospect of losing their
livelihoods because the government has lost control of the
virus.
“It’s sink-or-swim plans for support could leave more than
one million children at risk of goinghungryover the school
holidays.
“Now is the time to act. Labour will not stand by and let
families be the victims of the government’s incompetence. If
doesn’t change course, we will force a vote this week
and give his backbenchers the chance to do the right
thing.”
Notes to Editors
·Labour is calling for theextension of free
school meals (“FSM”) to all children who are currently eligible
in all of the school holidays between now and spring 2021. This
includes the coming October half term, the Christmas
holidays,February half term and the Easter holidays.
·There are currently over 1.44 million
children eligible for free school meals, who could all benefit
from this policy if it was enacted.
Source: Department for Education,Schools, pupils, and their
characteristics: Academic Year 2019/20, 21 September
2020
https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-pupils-and-their-characteristics
·Conservative MP and chair of the Education
Committee expressed disappointment at rejecting Marcus Rashford’s call for free school
meals to be extended over the holidays.
https://twitter.com/halfon4harlowMP/status/1316734839211675651
·The Labour led government in Wales has
committed to ensuring free school meal provisions for every
school holiday until Easter 2021.
https://gov.wales/marcus-rashford-mbe-backs-welsh-government-decision-ensure-free-school-meal-provisions-every-school
·During the lockdown parents were nearly twice
as likely to be furloughed as those without children. 13.6% of
parents were furloughed, compared to 7.2% of those without
children, according to the Office for National Statistics.
https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/conditionsanddiseases/articles/parentinginlockdowncoronavirusandtheeffectsonworklifebalance/2020-07-22
