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The following questions have been answered today: 

Rosie Duffield (Canterbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to monitor the number of children becoming eligible for free school meal vouchers due to decreased household income as a result of Covid-19.

Vicky Ford Answered: Schools and local authorities will continue to accept free school meal applications from parents and pupils. The department will continue to provide access to the Eligibility Checking System to support schools and local authorities in verifying and awarding free school meals.

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck (South Shields) To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether vouchers for children eligible for free school meals during the Covid-19 school closures will cover the cost of breakfast.

Vicky Ford Answered: While schools are closed to help reduce the spread of coronavirus, they will be able to provide meals or vouchers for supermarkets or local shops for families. The government has confirmed that the total value of vouchers offered to each eligible child per week will exceed the rate it pays to schools for free school meals. In addition to this, we are working to consider options to support children who receive a free breakfast through our contracts with Family Action and Magic Breakfast.

Mrs Sharon Hodgson (Washington and Sunderland West): To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when he plans to launch the national voucher system for free school meals.

Mrs Sharon Hodgson (Washington and Sunderland West): To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the vouchers offered during school closures to children eligible for free school meals will cover the costs of breakfast.

Vicky Ford answered both saying: While schools are closed to help reduce the spread of coronavirus, they will be able to provide meals or vouchers for supermarkets or local shops for families. The government has confirmed that the total value of vouchers offered to each eligible child per week will exceed the rate it pays to schools for free school meals. In addition to this, we are working to consider options to support children who receive a free breakfast through our contracts with Family Action and Magic Breakfast. We are continuing to work on a national approach to supporting free school meal pupils and will announce further details and relevant dates in due course.

Alex Cunningham (Stockton North): To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the vouchers offered to children eligible for free school meals during the school closures will cover the costs of breakfast.

Vicky Ford Answered: While schools are closed to help reduce the spread of coronavirus, they will be able to provide meals or vouchers for supermarkets or local shops for families. The government has confirmed that the total value of vouchers offered to each eligible child per week will exceed the rate it pays to schools for free school meals. In addition to this, we are working to consider options to support children who receive a free breakfast through our contracts with Family Action and Magic Breakfast.

Wes Streeting (Ilford North): To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the closure of schools as a result of covid-19, whether the vouchers provided to children that are eligible for free school meals will cover the costs of breakfast.

Vicky Ford answered: Schools will be able to provide meals or vouchers for supermarkets or local shops which can be sent directly to families who are either self-isolating at home or whose schools are closed on government advice. The government has confirmed that the total value of vouchers offered to each eligible child per week will exceed the rate it pays to schools for free school meals.

Lucy Powell (Manchester Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to ensure that children on free school meals are provided with a hot meal at home in the event of school closures in England.

Vicky Ford answered: The Department for Education has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Catherine McKinnell (Newcastle upon Tyne North): To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the covid-19 outbreak, if he will issue guidance on the use of free school meal funding in the event of school closures.

Vicky Ford answered: On 19 March, the government published guidance for schools, giving them the flexibility to provide meals or shop vouchers to the 1.3 million children entitled to free school meals if they are no longer attending school, either due to closures or as a result of self-isolating at home. The guidance can be viewed at the following address: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-free-school-meals-guidance.

Mrs Sharon Hodgson (Washington and Sunderland West): To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether schools will provide access to free school meals to eligible pupils during any closures in relation to Covid-19.

Vicky Ford answered: The continuing provision of free school meals to children from out of work families or those on low incomes is of the utmost importance to this government. No child who would ordinarily receive a free school meal should go without this due to school closures or having to self-isolate at home. Guidance for schools on the action to be taken has been published here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-free-school-meals-guidance.

***The Department for Education released a statement yesterday (25 March) about a scam email. The email said: ’As schools will be closing, if you're entitled to free school meals, please send your bank details and we'll make sure you're supported. ’This is a scam email - do not respond, and delete immediately.***

The following questions have also been tabled: 

Asked by Caroline Lucas (Brighton, Pavilion): To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will set up a national scheme to provide additional funding for schools to provide meals or vouchers for pupils eligible for free school meals; and if he will make a statement.

Asked by Kerry McCarthy (Bristol East): To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if the vouchers offered to children eligible for free school meals during school closures will include support to cover the costs of breakfast.

Asked by Helen Hayes (Dulwich and West Norwood): To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate he has made of the proportion and number of children in receipt of free school meals who will not be attending school during the covid-19-related closures; and (b) what steps his Department is taking to ensure those children are provided with alternative meal provision.

Asked by Angela Rayner (Ashton-under-Lyne): To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when the free school meals voucher scheme will be made available; and whether there will be retrospective funding of vouchers in the event that the scheme is not available immediately after schools close due to the Covid-19 outbreak.