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1135540

registered interest
date	28/06/2019
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Free School Meals
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate he has made of the number and proportion of pupils attending secondary schools in (a) Ashfield constituency, (b) Nottinghamshire and (c) England who are eligible for free school meals but not claiming them.
tabling member constituency	Ashfield
tabling member printed	Gloria De Piero
uin	270723
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/07/2019 answer text <p>The number of students who are eligible for and are claiming free school meals (FSM) is published at national and school level in the underlying data of the ‘Schools, pupils and their characteristics’ publication. The 2019 publication is available at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/schools-pupils-and-their-characteristics-january-2019" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/schools-pupils-and-their-characteristics-january-2019</a>.</p><p>FSM are available to parents who are in receipt of certain qualifying benefits, including those that are means tested by the Department for Work and Pensions. To be eligible to receive FSM, a pupil or their parent must make a claim to the school for FSM. Until the claim is made, the pupil is not eligible for FSM. These figures do not include pupils who may be eligible for FSM but no claim has been made.</p><p>The underlying data file Schools_pupils_and_their_characteristics_2019_pupil_characteristics_UD.csv includes a column for phase of school, parliamentary constituency and local authority.</p> answering member constituency Stratford-on-Avon answering member printed Nadhim Zahawi question first answered 03/07/2019 14:52:31 answering member 4113 label Biography information for Nadhim Zahawi
tabling member	3915 label Biography information for Gloria De Piero

1135565

registered interest
date	28/06/2019
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Free School Meals
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of students qualify for free school meals in each secondary school in St Helens North constituency; and what the average proportion of students is who qualify for free school meals in secondary schools in England.
tabling member constituency	St Helens North
tabling member printed	Conor McGinn
uin	270792
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/07/2019 answer text <p>The number and proportion of students who qualify for free school meals is published at national and school level in the underlying data of the ‘Schools, pupils and their characteristics’ publication. The 2019 publication is available at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/schools-pupils-and-their-characteristics-january-2019" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/schools-pupils-and-their-characteristics-january-2019</a>.</p><p>The underlying data file Schools_pupils_and_their_characteristics_2019_pupil_characteristics_UD.csv includes a column for parliamentary constituency.</p> answering member constituency Stratford-on-Avon answering member printed Nadhim Zahawi question first answered 03/07/2019 14:56:05 answering member 4113 label Biography information for Nadhim Zahawi
tabling member	4458 label Biography information for Conor McGinn

1133613

registered interest
date	20/06/2019
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Free School Meals
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent estimate he has made of the number of pupils who are eligible but unregistered for free school meals.
tabling member constituency	Ashton-under-Lyne
tabling member printed	Angela Rayner
uin	267279
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/06/2019 answer text <p>The department is determined to give every child, regardless of their background, the very best start in life. Free school meals (FSM) are key to this and we want all parents whose children are entitled to them, to apply for them. Under-registration for FSM runs at around 11% (roughly 100,000 children). <br> <br> We want to make sure as many eligible pupils as possible are claiming their FSM, and to make it as simple as possible for schools and local authorities to determine eligibility. We provide an Eligibility Checking System to make the checking process as quick and straightforward as possible for schools and local authorities. We have developed a model registration form to help schools encourage parents to sign up for FSM. We also 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> answering member constituency Stratford-on-Avon answering member printed Nadhim Zahawi question first answered 26/06/2019 16:14:00 answering member 4113 label Biography information for Nadhim Zahawi
tabling member	4356 label Biography information for Angela Rayner

1130144

registered interest
date	05/06/2019
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Free School Meals
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what his Department's policy is on unclaimed free school meal credit money.
tabling member constituency	South Shields
tabling member printed	Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck
uin	260660
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/06/2019 answer text <p>It is important that all pupils have access to healthy and nutritious meals at school and we would encourage all eligible children and parents to claim their free meals.</p><p> </p><p>Free school meals (FSM) are intended as a benefit in kind, rather than a cash benefit, and our primary interest is that schools meet their legal duties to provide nutritious free lunches to eligible children.</p><p> </p><p>We trust school leaders to make the best decisions in the interests of their pupils and it is right that they have flexibility around how they deliver FSM. We know that some schools will allow pupils to carry over their benefit, however we would not want to instruct schools to follow any specific approach nationally. We will consider how we can share the very best practice around the delivery of FSM.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Stratford-on-Avon answering member printed Nadhim Zahawi question first answered 11/06/2019 16:52:32 answering member 4113 label Biography information for Nadhim Zahawi
tabling member	4277 label Biography information for Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck

1126253

registered interest
date	13/05/2019
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Free School Meals
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of students qualify for free school meals in each secondary school in (a) Ashfield constituency; and what the average number is of students that qualify for free school meals in secondary schools in England.
tabling member constituency	Ashfield
tabling member printed	Gloria De Piero
uin	253541
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>The number of pupils eligible for free school meals (FSM) in England is published at the annual ‘Schools, pupils and their characteristics’ statistical release: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/schools-pupils-and-their-characteristics-january-2018." target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/schools-pupils-and-their-characteristics-january-2018</a>.</p><p> </p><p>Data for each school is available in the ‘Schools pupils and their characteristics 2018’, underlying data, contained in file ‘Schools_Pupils_and_their_Characteristics _2018_Schools_Pupils_UD’.</p><p> </p><p>The figures can be filtered by parliamentary constituency name (column X), school phase e.g. state-funded secondary schools (column N). Column EF, EG provide the number and % of pupils known to be eligible for FSM, respectively.</p><p> </p><p>The proportion of pupils eligible for FSM in state-funded secondary schools in England is provided in Table 3a of the national tables.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Stratford-on-Avon answering member printed Nadhim Zahawi question first answered 16/05/2019 12:19:56 answering member 4113 label Biography information for Nadhim Zahawi
tabling member	3915 label Biography information for Gloria De Piero

1125433

registered interest
date	08/05/2019
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Free School Meals
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of rolling over any unspent funds on the cards of children entitled to free school meals, at the end of each week, so that they can be used the following week.
tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
tabling member printed	Frank Field
uin	251926
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/05/2019 answer text <p>Free school meals (FSM) are intended as a benefit in kind, rather than a cash benefit, and our primary interest is that schools meet their legal duties to provide nutritious free lunches to eligible children.</p><p>We trust school leaders to make the best decisions in the interests of their pupils and it is right that they have flexibility around how they deliver FSM.</p><p>We are, of course, very keen to ensure that all eligible children receive their full entitlement to FSM. We are also interested to hear about new and creative steps schools are taking to support eligible children. It is important that children are claiming their free lunch each day and that schools and colleges operating this system to avoid any risk of children building up significant cash reserves on their accounts or regularly spending their allowances at other times of the day without receiving a healthy lunch.</p><p>We would not wish to instruct schools to do any specific approach nationally. However, we will consider how we can share the very best practice around FSM.</p> answering member constituency Stratford-on-Avon answering member printed Nadhim Zahawi question first answered 13/05/2019 16:27:27 answering member 4113 label Biography information for Nadhim Zahawi
tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

1125471

registered interest
date	08/05/2019
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Free School Meals
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of disadvantaged children will not benefit from the funding for free school meals and activities during the summer break announced on 8 May 2019.
tabling member constituency	Batley and Spen
tabling member printed	Tracy Brabin
uin	252120
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/05/2019 answer text <p>We do not know the number of children that will not benefit from the funding for free school meals (FSM) and activities during the 2019 summer holidays. This would depend on how many children in the funded areas choose to take up the offer of free holiday provision.</p><p>Our 2019 programme will take place in 11 local authority areas. It will enable us to test the effectiveness of a model of local coordination of free holiday club provision. We are carrying out an independent evaluation of this programme and will publish the results of this, including information on attendance.</p> answering member constituency Stratford-on-Avon answering member printed Nadhim Zahawi question first answered 13/05/2019 15:46:50 answering member 4113 label Biography information for Nadhim Zahawi
tabling member	4588 label Biography information for Tracy Brabin

1123654

registered interest
date	29/04/2019
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Free School Meals
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much money was allocated from the public purse towards the provision of free school meals in (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland in the most recent financial year for which data is available.
tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
tabling member printed	Frank Field
uin	248590
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/05/2019 answer text <p>For benefits-based free school meals (FSM) the department allocates around £440 per pupil per year currently eligible for and claiming FSM through the national funding formula to local authorities.</p><p>Local authorities then distribute this money to schools through their local funding formula, which is set in consultation with schools. For 2018-19, local authorities collectively allocated £505 million in respect of pupils currently eligible for FSM.</p><p>For the academic year 2017/2018 - the latest year in which data is available - the Department for Education spent £649 million delivering free meals for all infant children in reception, year 1 and year 2 in state funded schools through the universal infant free school meals policy.</p><p>FSM are fully devolved so the department does not hold information on how much was spent in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.</p> answering member constituency Stratford-on-Avon answering member printed Nadhim Zahawi question first answered 02/05/2019 15:58:15 answering member 4113 label Biography information for Nadhim Zahawi
tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

1105746

registered interest
date	27/03/2019
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Free School Meals
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will publish the number of (a) free school meals and (b) Government-funded holiday schemes that offered food to participants, by local authority area in the last 12 months for which statistics are available; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Harrow West
tabling member printed	Gareth Thomas
uin	237585
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/04/2019 answer text <p>This government has taken significant steps to raise the living standards of low-income families, including introducing the National Living Wage, raising the personal tax allowance so no-one pays tax on the first £12,500 earned and improving financial incentives to work. The government is committed to delivering a country that works for everyone and I want to ensure that all children have access to healthy food and enriching activities during the school holidays. Last year I announced £2 million for projects to deliver this sort of provision, free to disadvantaged pupils during the 2018 summer holidays. We are more than quadrupling that amount for the 2019 summer holidays where we will be exploring how the local coordination of this sort of provision can help more disadvantaged pupils to access free high quality holiday club provision during the school holidays.</p><p> </p><p>The information requested on data on the number of free school meals served in each local authority is not held centrally. However, data on the number of pupils eligible for and claiming free school meals in state-funded schools for each local authority is available here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/schools-pupils-and-their-characteristics-january-2018" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/schools-pupils-and-their-characteristics-january-2018</a>.</p><p>Accompanying this answer is a table showing the number of holiday clubs the Department for Education funded within each local authority, through its summer 2018 Holiday Activities and Food Research Fund. Please note that the total number of clubs included in this table is greater than the 283 clubs referred to in the ‘management information release’ related to this fund due to some clubs not returning usable management information. The management release is available here: <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/755139/Holiday_Activities_and_Food_2018_Programme_revised.pdf" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/755139/Holiday_Activities_and_Food_2018_Programme_revised.pdf</a>.</p> answering member constituency Stratford-on-Avon answering member printed Nadhim Zahawi question first answered 05/04/2019 12:41:01 answering member 4113 label Biography information for Nadhim Zahawi attachment 1 file name 237585_HAF_2018_LOCAL_AUTHORITIES .xls title 237585_Number_of_holiday_clubs_funded
tabling member	177 label Biography information for Gareth Thomas

1058759

registered interest
date	11/02/2019
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Free School Meals
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether his Department has undertaken any recent research into the number of pupils eligible but not registered for free school meals.
tabling member constituency	Mid Dorset and North Poole
tabling member printed	Michael Tomlinson
uin	219512
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/02/2019 answer text <p>The latest research published on the number of pupils not claiming free school meals was published in December 2013 and shows the under-registration rate of pupils entitled to free school meals (FSM) is 11%. The full report is available here:</p><p><a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/266339/DFE-RR319.pdf" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/266339/DFE-RR319.pdf</a>.</p><p>In Dorset and Poole, the under-registration rates reported at 2013 are in the attached table.</p><p>Schools automatically receive Pupil Premium funding for each pupil registered as eligible for free school meals in the school census and for any pupil eligible for free school meals at any point in the last 6 years. This year 1.99 million pupils, 27% of all pupils, aged 5-16 are eligible to receive Pupil Premium funding.</p><p>We do not publish statistics on the take up of Pupil Premium.</p><p>The department wants to make sure that as many eligible pupils as possible are claiming free school meals, and to make it as simple as possible for schools and local authorities to determine eligibility. To support this we provide:</p><ul><li>The Eligibility Checking Service to make the checking process as quick and simple as possible for schools and local authorities.</li><li>A model registration form for paper-based applications.</li><li>Guidance to Jobcentre Plus advisors and work coaches so they can make Universal Credit claimants aware that they might be entitled to free school meals.</li></ul><p> </p><p>We know that many schools and local authorities have established very effective ways to encourage all eligible families to register for free school meals.</p> answering member constituency Stratford-on-Avon answering member printed Nadhim Zahawi grouped question UIN 219513 219514 219515 219516 219517 question first answered 19/02/2019 17:49:08 answering member 4113 label Biography information for Nadhim Zahawi attachment 1 file name 219512 - 219517_Under-registration_rate_of_pupils_entitled_to_free_school_meals_in_Dorset_&_Poole.pdf title Dorset_&_Poole_the_under-_registration_rates
tabling member	4497 label Biography information for Michael Tomlinson