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1682594

registered interest
date	16/01/2024
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 she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the earned income threshold of £7,400 for universal credit claimants under the Free School Lunches and Milk, and School and Early Years Finance (Amendments Relating to Universal Credit) (England) Regulations 2018 on the number of children who will be eligible for free school meals in (a) 2024 and (b) 2025.
tabling member constituency	Twickenham
tabling member printed	Munira Wilson
uin	9947
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/01/2024 answer text <p>This government has extended eligibility for free school meals (FSM) several times and to more groups of children than any other government over the past half a century, most notably through the introduction of universal infant free school meals (UIFSM) FSM in 2014. The result of this is that over a third of pupils in England now receive free meals, compared with one in six in 2010.</p><p>The department monitors data on the number of pupils who are eligible for FSM, including estimates for future years, but no formal assessment has been made on the number of children eligible for FSM in 2024 and 2025. The department publishes statistics annually which show that over 2 million pupils are currently eligible for FSM. This is an increase from 1.1 million eligible pupils in 2018, when extensive transitional protections were first introduced.</p><p>Protections ensure that children in receipt of FSM will not lose access to this entitlement until at least March 2025, even if their household’s financial circumstances improve. The department does not plan to formally assess the number of children who would no longer be eligible for FSM, in the absence of the protections policy.</p><p>The department has always been clear that a child is only eligible for FSM if their family meets the eligibility criteria at the point of applying for FSM. The result may be that in some cases for children in the same household, some may be eligible for FSM whilst others are not. The department does not plan to make an estimate of this figure.</p><p>Further information is available at: <a href="https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-pupils-and-their-characteristics#dataBlock-2f5a67c4-6e66-414a-a926-f959d8b6443a-tables" target="_blank">https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-pupils-and-their-characteristics#dataBlock-2f5a67c4-6e66-414a-a926-f959d8b6443a-tables</a>.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds grouped question UIN 9948 question first answered 19/01/2024 11:15:46 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
tabling member	4776 label Biography information for Munira Wilson

1682595

registered interest
date	16/01/2024
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 she will make an estimate of the number of children who previously received but are no longer eligible for free school meals as a result of their households reaching a net earned income threshold of £7,400 per annum under Universal Credit at the point of claim as of 9 January 2024; and whether her Department holds data on families with multiple children in which one or more child qualifies for free school meals but not the others.
tabling member constituency	Twickenham
tabling member printed	Munira Wilson
uin	9948
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/01/2024 answer text <p>This government has extended eligibility for free school meals (FSM) several times and to more groups of children than any other government over the past half a century, most notably through the introduction of universal infant free school meals (UIFSM) FSM in 2014. The result of this is that over a third of pupils in England now receive free meals, compared with one in six in 2010.</p><p>The department monitors data on the number of pupils who are eligible for FSM, including estimates for future years, but no formal assessment has been made on the number of children eligible for FSM in 2024 and 2025. The department publishes statistics annually which show that over 2 million pupils are currently eligible for FSM. This is an increase from 1.1 million eligible pupils in 2018, when extensive transitional protections were first introduced.</p><p>Protections ensure that children in receipt of FSM will not lose access to this entitlement until at least March 2025, even if their household’s financial circumstances improve. The department does not plan to formally assess the number of children who would no longer be eligible for FSM, in the absence of the protections policy.</p><p>The department has always been clear that a child is only eligible for FSM if their family meets the eligibility criteria at the point of applying for FSM. The result may be that in some cases for children in the same household, some may be eligible for FSM whilst others are not. The department does not plan to make an estimate of this figure.</p><p>Further information is available at: <a href="https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-pupils-and-their-characteristics#dataBlock-2f5a67c4-6e66-414a-a926-f959d8b6443a-tables" target="_blank">https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-pupils-and-their-characteristics#dataBlock-2f5a67c4-6e66-414a-a926-f959d8b6443a-tables</a>.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds grouped question UIN 9947 question first answered 19/01/2024 11:15:46 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
tabling member	4776 label Biography information for Munira Wilson

1679199

registered interest
date	19/12/2023
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 her department has made a recent assessment of the potential (a) economic, (b) health and (c) educational benefits of extending eligibility for free school meals.
tabling member constituency	Liverpool, West Derby
tabling member printed	Ian Byrne
uin	7711
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/01/2024 answer text <p>This government has extended Free School Meal (FSM) eligibility several times and to more groups of children than any other government over the past half a century. Around 2 million pupils are currently eligible for benefits-related FSM. Close to 1.3 million additional infants receive free and nutritious meals under the Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM) policy. Taken together, over one third of pupils are receiving free meals.</p><p>The department invests over £1 billion in support of these policies. Schools are currently funded at £480 per eligible pupil per year as a factor value within the National Funding Formula. This is increasing to £490 in 2024/25. For UIFSM, schools receive £2.53 per meal per child. This was uplifted from £2.41 for the current academic year. Further Education institutions have received the same uplift.</p><p>In setting an income threshold for FSM, the government’s judgement is that the current level enables the most disadvantaged children to benefit while remaining affordable and deliverable for schools and the taxpayer. It is right that provision is aimed at supporting the most disadvantaged, those out of work, or those on the lowest incomes. The department does not have any plans to further extend provision at this time. The department will keep FSM eligibility under review to ensure that these meals are supporting those who need them most. The department facilitates this by working with other government departments to monitor the cost of living and impact on disadvantaged families and considering a wide range of evidence, including findings produced by the Child Poverty Action Group. In addition to this, the department regularly engages with a wide range of stakeholders including school leaders, pupils and catering organisations.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds grouped question UIN 7712 7713 7714 7715 7716 question first answered 10/01/2024 12:24:07 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
tabling member	4831 label Biography information for Ian Byrne

1679201

registered interest
date	19/12/2023
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 her Department has made a recent assessment of the potential implications for her policies on provision of free school meals of universal school meals roll-out in (a) London, (b) Scotland and (c) Wales.
tabling member constituency	Liverpool, West Derby
tabling member printed	Ian Byrne
uin	7712
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/01/2024 answer text <p>This government has extended Free School Meal (FSM) eligibility several times and to more groups of children than any other government over the past half a century. Around 2 million pupils are currently eligible for benefits-related FSM. Close to 1.3 million additional infants receive free and nutritious meals under the Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM) policy. Taken together, over one third of pupils are receiving free meals.</p><p>The department invests over £1 billion in support of these policies. Schools are currently funded at £480 per eligible pupil per year as a factor value within the National Funding Formula. This is increasing to £490 in 2024/25. For UIFSM, schools receive £2.53 per meal per child. This was uplifted from £2.41 for the current academic year. Further Education institutions have received the same uplift.</p><p>In setting an income threshold for FSM, the government’s judgement is that the current level enables the most disadvantaged children to benefit while remaining affordable and deliverable for schools and the taxpayer. It is right that provision is aimed at supporting the most disadvantaged, those out of work, or those on the lowest incomes. The department does not have any plans to further extend provision at this time. The department will keep FSM eligibility under review to ensure that these meals are supporting those who need them most. The department facilitates this by working with other government departments to monitor the cost of living and impact on disadvantaged families and considering a wide range of evidence, including findings produced by the Child Poverty Action Group. In addition to this, the department regularly engages with a wide range of stakeholders including school leaders, pupils and catering organisations.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds grouped question UIN 7711 7713 7714 7715 7716 question first answered 10/01/2024 12:24:07 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
tabling member	4831 label Biography information for Ian Byrne

1679203

registered interest
date	19/12/2023
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 she will raise the threshold for receipt of free school meals.
tabling member constituency	Liverpool, West Derby
tabling member printed	Ian Byrne
uin	7714
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/01/2024 answer text <p>This government has extended Free School Meal (FSM) eligibility several times and to more groups of children than any other government over the past half a century. Around 2 million pupils are currently eligible for benefits-related FSM. Close to 1.3 million additional infants receive free and nutritious meals under the Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM) policy. Taken together, over one third of pupils are receiving free meals.</p><p>The department invests over £1 billion in support of these policies. Schools are currently funded at £480 per eligible pupil per year as a factor value within the National Funding Formula. This is increasing to £490 in 2024/25. For UIFSM, schools receive £2.53 per meal per child. This was uplifted from £2.41 for the current academic year. Further Education institutions have received the same uplift.</p><p>In setting an income threshold for FSM, the government’s judgement is that the current level enables the most disadvantaged children to benefit while remaining affordable and deliverable for schools and the taxpayer. It is right that provision is aimed at supporting the most disadvantaged, those out of work, or those on the lowest incomes. The department does not have any plans to further extend provision at this time. The department will keep FSM eligibility under review to ensure that these meals are supporting those who need them most. The department facilitates this by working with other government departments to monitor the cost of living and impact on disadvantaged families and considering a wide range of evidence, including findings produced by the Child Poverty Action Group. In addition to this, the department regularly engages with a wide range of stakeholders including school leaders, pupils and catering organisations.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds grouped question UIN 7711 7712 7713 7715 7716 question first answered 10/01/2024 12:24:07 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
tabling member	4831 label Biography information for Ian Byrne

1679204

registered interest
date	19/12/2023
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, with reference to the Answer of 14 June 2023 to Question 187978 on Free School Meals, how her Department keeps eligibility for free school meals under review to ensure that these meals are supporting those who most need them.
tabling member constituency	Liverpool, West Derby
tabling member printed	Ian Byrne
uin	7715
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/01/2024 answer text <p>This government has extended Free School Meal (FSM) eligibility several times and to more groups of children than any other government over the past half a century. Around 2 million pupils are currently eligible for benefits-related FSM. Close to 1.3 million additional infants receive free and nutritious meals under the Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM) policy. Taken together, over one third of pupils are receiving free meals.</p><p>The department invests over £1 billion in support of these policies. Schools are currently funded at £480 per eligible pupil per year as a factor value within the National Funding Formula. This is increasing to £490 in 2024/25. For UIFSM, schools receive £2.53 per meal per child. This was uplifted from £2.41 for the current academic year. Further Education institutions have received the same uplift.</p><p>In setting an income threshold for FSM, the government’s judgement is that the current level enables the most disadvantaged children to benefit while remaining affordable and deliverable for schools and the taxpayer. It is right that provision is aimed at supporting the most disadvantaged, those out of work, or those on the lowest incomes. The department does not have any plans to further extend provision at this time. The department will keep FSM eligibility under review to ensure that these meals are supporting those who need them most. The department facilitates this by working with other government departments to monitor the cost of living and impact on disadvantaged families and considering a wide range of evidence, including findings produced by the Child Poverty Action Group. In addition to this, the department regularly engages with a wide range of stakeholders including school leaders, pupils and catering organisations.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds grouped question UIN 7711 7712 7713 7714 7716 question first answered 10/01/2024 12:24:07 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
tabling member	4831 label Biography information for Ian Byrne

1679205

registered interest
date	19/12/2023
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 she will make an assessment of the implications for her policies on free school meals of the briefing by the Child Poverty Action Group entitled Free school meals: third of kids in poverty miss out, published in July 2023.
tabling member constituency	Liverpool, West Derby
tabling member printed	Ian Byrne
uin	7716
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/01/2024 answer text <p>This government has extended Free School Meal (FSM) eligibility several times and to more groups of children than any other government over the past half a century. Around 2 million pupils are currently eligible for benefits-related FSM. Close to 1.3 million additional infants receive free and nutritious meals under the Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM) policy. Taken together, over one third of pupils are receiving free meals.</p><p>The department invests over £1 billion in support of these policies. Schools are currently funded at £480 per eligible pupil per year as a factor value within the National Funding Formula. This is increasing to £490 in 2024/25. For UIFSM, schools receive £2.53 per meal per child. This was uplifted from £2.41 for the current academic year. Further Education institutions have received the same uplift.</p><p>In setting an income threshold for FSM, the government’s judgement is that the current level enables the most disadvantaged children to benefit while remaining affordable and deliverable for schools and the taxpayer. It is right that provision is aimed at supporting the most disadvantaged, those out of work, or those on the lowest incomes. The department does not have any plans to further extend provision at this time. The department will keep FSM eligibility under review to ensure that these meals are supporting those who need them most. The department facilitates this by working with other government departments to monitor the cost of living and impact on disadvantaged families and considering a wide range of evidence, including findings produced by the Child Poverty Action Group. In addition to this, the department regularly engages with a wide range of stakeholders including school leaders, pupils and catering organisations.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds grouped question UIN 7711 7712 7713 7714 7715 question first answered 10/01/2024 12:24:07 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
tabling member	4831 label Biography information for Ian Byrne

1677530

registered interest
date	12/12/2023
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, with reference to the Answer of 19 September 2023 to Question198717 on Free School Meals, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that schools continue to be able to provide healthy meals; and what discussions his Department has had with schools on whether they can provide these meals within the agreed budgets.
tabling member constituency	Ellesmere Port and Neston
tabling member printed	Justin Madders
uin	6620
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/12/2023 answer text <p>The department spends over £1 billion on the provision of free meals. Schools currently attract £480 annually through the free school meals (FSM) factor of the national funding formula, in respect of FSM-eligible pupils. This is increasing to £490 in 2024/25.</p><p>In addition to this, schools are currently plaid a meal rate of £2.53 to support the provision of Universal infant FSM.</p><p>The department continues to keep funding under review and regularly meet with stakeholders to monitor issues in this sector, including food industry representatives, school leaders and pupils.</p><p>Further to this, the department supports the provision of nutritious food in schools through ‘The Requirements for School Food Regulations’ (2014), which require schools to provide children with healthy food and drink options, and to make sure that children get the energy and nutrition they need across the school day. These regulations are available at: <a href="https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2014/1603/contents/made" target="_blank">https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2014/1603/contents/made</a>.</p><p>The school food standards restrict foods high in fat, salt and sugar, as well as low quality reformed or reconstituted foods. Compliance with the school food standards is mandatory for all maintained schools, academies and free schools.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 20/12/2023 12:18:06 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
tabling member	4418 label Biography information for Justin Madders

1674108

registered interest
date	29/11/2023
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 assessment she has made of the potential merits of broadening the eligibility criteria for free school meals.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	4462
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/12/2023 answer text <p>This government has extended free school meals (FSM) eligibility more than any other government in decades. Over 2 million pupils are currently eligible for benefits-based FSM. Close to 1.3 million additional infants receive free and nutritious meals under the universal infant FSM policy.</p><p>The department believes that the current eligibility threshold level, which enables pupils in low-income households to benefit from FSM while remaining affordable and deliverable for schools, is the right one. The department does not currently have plans to change the existing eligibility conditions for FSM but will continue to keep the policy under review.</p><p>The department has no current plans to assess the impact of universal free meals on attainment.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds grouped question UIN 4466 question first answered 07/12/2023 12:37:10 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1674116

registered interest
date	29/11/2023
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 she will make an assessment of the potential merits of running a pilot study to assess the impact of universal free school meals on educational outcomes.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	4466
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/12/2023 answer text <p>This government has extended free school meals (FSM) eligibility more than any other government in decades. Over 2 million pupils are currently eligible for benefits-based FSM. Close to 1.3 million additional infants receive free and nutritious meals under the universal infant FSM policy.</p><p>The department believes that the current eligibility threshold level, which enables pupils in low-income households to benefit from FSM while remaining affordable and deliverable for schools, is the right one. The department does not currently have plans to change the existing eligibility conditions for FSM but will continue to keep the policy under review.</p><p>The department has no current plans to assess the impact of universal free meals on attainment.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds grouped question UIN 4462 question first answered 07/12/2023 12:37:10 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell