PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
Free school meal vouchers during the covid-19 pandemic (4 November 2020)

That this House expresses dismay at the decision by the Government not to extend free school meals to eligible children during school holidays during the covid-19 outbreak; notes that the proposed second lockdown will plunge more families into poverty; notes that such a decision places over 11,000 children in Wakefield District and 1 million nationally at risk of going hungry during the school holidays; believes that such a decision highlights a lack of compassion and understanding of the challenges facing many working people across the country, who are increasingly struggling to make ends meet as a result of the covid-19 outbreak, forcing holiday hunger; applauds the actions of actions of Wakefield Council for committing to provide these children with food vouchers during the upcoming Christmas period and expresses gratitude to the vital role community organisations in Hemsworth constituency and elsewhere in the country have played during the October half-term break provide food to families and children who need it the most; and calls on the Government to provide funding to provide food vouchers for all children eligible for free school meals until the end of the Covid-19 pandemic and publish an action plan to end food poverty once and for all.

Sponsored by:
Jon Trickett (Labour)