Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
hansard heading
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member constituency
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member constituency answering member printed grouped question UIN question first answered answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

1644791

registered interest
date	14/06/2023
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	School Meals: Fees and Charges
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent estimate her Department has made of the amount of debt owed by families for school meals for the latest period for which data is available; what recent discussions she has held with (a) local authorities and (b) schools on this issue; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle upon Tyne North
tabling member printed	Catherine McKinnell
uin	189593
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/06/2023 answer text <p>The latest published statistics show that over 2 million pupils are claiming free school meals (FSM). This equates to 23.8% of all pupils, up from 22.5% in 2022. Together with almost 1.3 million infants supported through the Universal Infant Free School Meal (UIFSM) policy, over one third of pupils receive a free meal in school.</p><p>The Department does not routinely collect information on the proportion of pupils that may be entitled to a FSM but do not make a claim.</p><p>The Department’s primary interest is ensuring that all pupils who are entitled to free meals take this offer up. We also want to make it as simple as possible for schools and Local Authorities to determine eligibility. The Department provides an Eligibility Checking System to make the checking process as quick and straightforward as possible for schools and Local Authorities. The Department has also developed a model registration form to help schools encourage parents to sign up for FSM and provide guidance to Jobcentre Plus advisers so that they can make Universal Credit recipients aware that they may also be entitled to wider benefits, including FSM.</p><p>The take-up rate of UIFSM currently stands at 85%. The Department has not formally assessed the proportion of infant pupils who are entitled to, but not registered for FSM. The Department encourages all families who meet the eligibility criteria to apply for FSM.</p><p>The Department also has not estimated the amount of lunch debt owed by families for school meals. The Government continues to monitor cost-of-living issues that are affecting families.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb grouped question UIN 189591 189592 question first answered 19/06/2023 15:04:53 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4125 label Biography information for Catherine McKinnell

1003633

registered interest
date	09/11/2018
answering body	Department for Exiting the European Union
answering dept id	203
answering dept short name	Exiting the European Union
answering dept sort name	Exiting the European Union
hansard heading	Welsh Language
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what discussions he has had with the (a) Secretary of State for Wales, (b) Welsh Government and (c) Welsh Language Commissioner on the potential effect of the UK leaving the EU on (i) Welsh speakers and (ii) Welsh-speaking communities.
tabling member constituency	Arfon
tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
uin	189593
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/11/2018 answer text <p>As the Prime Minister has made clear, we are committed to securing a deal that works for the whole of the United Kingdom including Welsh-speaking communities. The UK Government has been working closely and effectively with the Welsh Government, the Secretary of State for Wales and Welsh stakeholders on EU Exit to ensure this.</p><p>This includes, for example, the Joint Ministerial Committee on EU Negotiations and the Ministerial Forum on EU Negotiations. The Ministerial Forum recently discussed the UK Government’s proposals for continued cooperation with the EU on culture and education as well as options for continued participation in successor schemes to EU funding programmes, such as Creative Europe, which I understand has played a role in supporting a number of Welsh language projects. We welcomed the Welsh Ministers’ contributions to this discussion.</p><p>While the Welsh language is a devolved matter, we fully recognise its importance as part of the United Kingdom’s rich culture and will continue working with the Welsh Government, the Secretary of State for Wales and Welsh stakeholders to ensure their concerns on this matter are taken into account as we leave the EU.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker grouped question UIN 189595 question first answered 20/11/2018 16:18:11 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams