MPs divided on votes for extending free school meals over holidays

Local MPs were divided over voting on extending free school meal vouchers for children over the schools holidays until Easter 2021.

The motion, calling for the government to fund free meal vouchers over the holidays for children eligible for free school meals, was raised by Kate Green, shadow secretary of state for education, on Wednesday (21 October).

For the first time ever this year due to the pandemic, the government funded vouchers for those eligible for free school meals over the summer holidays to support children from disadvantaged families.

The motion was ultimately defeated by 322 votes to 261, with Rochdale MP Tony Lloyd (Labour) voting in favour of the motion, whilst Conservative Chris Clarkson, MP for Heywood and Middleton, voted against - leading many to accuse him of voting for children to go hungry.

Previously, in March 2020, Mr Clarkson wrote to the Secretary of State for Education in March to urge the provision of extra money to support children – who would normally receive these meals – during the summer holidays.

Mr Clarkson explained his vote: "I believe that no child should ever go hungry and I was glad to see the Government offer an extension of free school meal vouchers over holiday periods earlier in the year, during the time when schools were closed and the pandemic was at its peak. During those exceptional times, these measures were necessary.

"I believe that simply providing a blanket cash hand-out to parents, whether they need it or not, is neither a sensible nor effective way to ensure that the most vulnerable children in our community are fed.

"I believe that there are better long-term solutions to the issues of child hunger in England which can target help to those who need it most. Like our increase in Universal Credit, which means that families are already receiving up to an extra £20 per week (£1,000 per year).

"There are a number of reasons why a child may be entitled to a free school meal. It is important to remember that not every child on free school meals is living in food poverty.

"I did not and will not vote for children to go hungry, not in Heywood and Middleton, not anywhere. I will be continuing to work with my Westminster colleagues towards sensible and effective long-term solutions to end child food poverty in the UK and most importantly to ensure where help is needed it is targeted to those who need it the most."

Mr Lloyd said: "Extending free school meals this winter until Easter next year was a simple temporary measure to help the most vulnerable children and their families at this most desperate of times.

"That Prime Minister Johnson’s Conservative Government voted against it, and whipped their MPs to vote against it too, is abhorrent and cruel. The Tories are defending the way they voted by claiming free school meals increases dependency on the state and is only a short-term solution to fix a long-term problem.

"Large businesses across the country right now are depending on the state to see them through these hard times, why then, is it so controversial that children require our support too? And to deny children immediate help whilst a lasting solution is apparently sought is even more ludicrous. By recognising a long-term solution is required, the Government are admitting there is a problem.

"These 1.4 million children need our help right now. So why not implement this simple remedy to feed children when they need it most?"

The bid was originally raised by footballer Marcus Rashford, who earlier this year campaigned for the government to extend the free schools meals scheme during the summer holidays.
 

Read more: MPs welcome extension of free school meals throughout the summer holidaysPublished: 19 June 2020

Families entitled to free school meals received a one-off voucher at the end of the school term, worth £15 a week for the six-week school break.

Locally, Rochdale Council runs a summer scheme in partnership with Link4Life, called Fit, Feed and Read. The Rochdale borough has one of the highest numbers of children living in poverty in the UK

Launched in 2017, the programme, which is funded by local township committees, supports hundreds of disadvantaged children with a healthy lunch, reading, and exercising in a fun environment.
 

Read more: ‘Read and Feed’ programme to be extended to more librariesPublished: 13 July 2017

Sessions are held at Balderstone, Darnhill, Junction, Langley and Smallbridge libraries over the school summer holidays.