Tulip Siddiq MP, Labour’s Shadow Minister for Children and Early Years, commenting on the news that the Government will not fund free school meals in England over the half-term, said:

“Many more children are going hungry in this crisis, so this is absolutely not the time to be withdrawing support for free school meals. There have been huge admin problems with the free school meal voucher scheme which we have been urging Ministers to sort out, but it is a terrible mistake to take this crucial support away at a critical moment.

“The economic impact of coronavirus is hitting the poorest families hardest, with one in five households with children not getting the food they need in recent weeks. A free school meal is often the only proper meal that some children get, especially when household budgets are under pressure, so this support must continue.”