PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Free School Meals: Voucher Schemes (19 June 2020)

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of his Department's initial decision not to implement the national voucher scheme during the 2020 school summer holiday on (a) BAME children and adults and (b) people with other protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010; and if he will place a copy of that assessment in the Library.

Asked by:
Apsana Begum (Independent)

Owing to the COVID-19 outbreak, the government understands that children and parents face an entirely unprecedented situation over the summer. To reflect this, we will be providing additional funding for a Covid Summer Food Fund that will enable families with children who are eligible for free school meals to receive food vouchers covering the six-week holiday period. This is a specific measure to reflect the unique circumstances of the outbreak. As we have announced this provision will take place, we will not publish an assessment of any alternative scenarios.

Answered by:
Vicky Ford (Conservative)
24 June 2020