Richard Burden – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2014-03-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when he will announce (a) additional funding for and (b) a help and advice service to schools on universal free school meals.

Mr David Laws

The Chancellor announced in his Autumn Statement on 5 December that we would be providing over £1 billion of additional revenue funding over the next two financial years, and £150 million of capital funding in 2014-15, to support the introduction of universal infant free school meals.

On 6 March we published a departmental advice document which sets out further information about the funding available and about the support available to schools. This document is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-infant-free-school-meals

On 6 March we also launched a support service, which consists of a telephone and online advice service for schools, local authorities and caterers and a direct-support service for schools facing significant challenges. The service is being provided by school food experts, the Children’s Food Trust and the Lead Association for Catering in Education, in conjunction with a number of delivery partners. More information is available at: http://www.childrensfoodtrust.org.uk/Root/schools/schoolfoodplan

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