20% of primary school children eligible for free school meals

Worker's Union GMB is calling for a Labour Party manifesto commitment to introduce universal free school meals for primary school children, after revealing that 21.3% of Rochdale's primary pupils are eligible for free food at school.

The Union has put forward a Contemporary Motion which calls for a Labour Party manifesto commitment at the next General Election to introduce universal free school meals for all nursery and primary school children in the UK.

To bolster the case for universal free school meals GMB has published a new report showing that in Rochdale 3608 pupils take free school meals. With 21.3% of all pupils known to be eligible for free school meals that put Rochdale third in the Greater Manchester league for the percentage eligible; behind Manchester and Salford.

In the North West as a whole 92,570 nursery and primary school pupils take up free school meals while the figure for England is 558,590. The percentage eligible in the Region is 18.6% compared with 16% in England.

Paul McCarthy, GMB Regional Secretary said: “There are five good reasons why universal free school meals should be introduced for all nursery and primary children. First, healthy food is needed to fight obesity. Second, a hot meal at lunch time helps pupils learn better in the afternoon. Third, a universal service would remove the stigma poor children face. Fourth, it would provide much needed help for hard pressed family budgets. A family with two children could be supported to the tune of £25 a week which is the current cost of school dinners. Fifth, providing free school meals for all would create jobs in the middle of this severe recession.

"The Labour Party needs to put popular measures in the next manifesto to get the core voters back voting for the Party.

"The cost of providing universal free school meals at £500 million could be funded by closing down the tax havens and clamping down on tax evasion.”