It has been another busy week in and around Parliament and the constituency. There was one vote in particular which was on the provisions of free school meals.
There will be a lot of parents and families who might be concerned with some of the figures and actions being taken by the Government on the provision of school meals, so I thought it important to add clarity to the matter.
Last week, Labour claimed that we as a Conservative Government were taking away free school meals for a million children, which is simply not true. I voted with the Government because our proposed changes to the eligibility criteria have been designed to ensure that support is targeted where it is needed most.
Labour claims of free meals being taken away from a million children is just wrong and misleading. The Channel 4 independent fact checker has also shown that it is simply not true. When Universal Credit was introduced, the Government was clear it would set new criteria for free school meals. To ensure that no one was adversely affected during its roll out, the Government temporarily made Universal Credit a qualifying benefit for free school meals, regardless of income.
The eligibility criteria for free school meals under the new regulations estimates that by 2022 around 50,000 more children will benefit from a free school meal, compared to the previous benefits system.
It is important to understand that no child will lose their meals during the roll-out of universal credit as a result of these changes. I am committed to ensuring that disadvantaged young people are able to access a free meal at school contrary to the misinformation being peddled by the Labour Party.
When politicians assert something as truth, particularly when attacking opponents - always ask yourself, are they telling the truth?