Government must follow Wales and guarantee free schools meals over holidays

Responding to the announcement that the Welsh Government has guaranteed free school meal provision for all school holidays up to and including Easter 2021, thanks to £11m confirmed today by Welsh Education Minister Kirsty Williams, Liberal Democrat Education Spokesperson Daisy Cooper said:

This decision by Liberal Democrat Kirsty Williams is wonderful news and will really ease the worries of thousands of parents in Wales as they look ahead to the uncertainty of the next six months.

It is essential that Conservative Ministers in Westminster follow the Liberal Democrats lead in Wales, and agree to extend free school meals to holidays in England. It would be simply unforgivable to let children go hungry this winter.

We know that giving school children a hot, healthy meal at lunchtime greatly improves their health, behaviour and results. What we don't know is why the Conservatives continue to callously refuse to give children who receive free school meals, the same hot, healthy meal in the school holidays.