Commenting on Jeremy Corbyn's recommendation to provide free school
meals for all primary school children, Mark Littlewood, Director
General at the Institute of Economic Affairs said: "Free school
meals provision is already a poorly targeted policy and extending
it to all primary school children would be an unacceptable waste of
taxpayers' money. The scheme will end up subsidising middle class
and affluent families who don't need the help, while those who are
struggling to make ends meet...Request free trial
Commenting on Jeremy Corbyn's recommendation to provide free school
meals for all primary school children, Mark Littlewood, Director
General at the Institute of Economic Affairs said:
"Free school meals provision is already a poorly targeted policy
and extending it to all primary school children would be an
unacceptable waste of taxpayers' money. The scheme will end up
subsidising middle class and affluent families who don't need the
help, while those who are struggling to make ends meet will feel
very little benefit. Most parents would prefer a tax cut providing
them with more choice, rather than this crude and untargeted
initiative. Additionally, a significant number of primary schools
do not have the facilities to provide these meals in the first
place.
"For many years now there have been schemes in place to provide
free school meals for disadvantaged children. Universal provision
is unnecessary and paying for it by charging parents who elect to
send their children to a private school VAT, while still paying
their share of tax for state education, is unjustifiable. Not least
because a significant number of children at private schools receive
financial support themselves through scholarships.
"If politicians want to help disadvantaged children they should
focus on improving teaching and bringing down the cost of living
via policies such as liberalising the planning system and
deregulating the energy sector to lower fuel prices."
