Kate Belmonte
Medway Green Party

28 October 2020 Our Ref: ZA22247

Dear Kate and Team

Thank you for your email regarding free school meals.

In replying to constituents who have raised this issue with me I have explained how, as you know,
this vote was put forward by the Labour Party as an ‘Opposition Motion’. These are historically used
by the opposition parties, whatever colour, to raise political mischief by embarrassing the
Government on whatever political subject is hitting the headlines at that given moment. They are
non-binding motions so even if passed do not compel Government to act. It is therefore very
unusual for a backbench MP of the governing party to support them for that reason but that also
doesn’t necessarily mean that they have to also vote against them, despite the whip, and
last Wednesday I chose to do exactly that by abstaining.
Given the current circumstances brought about by the Coronavirus pandemic and the pressures on
the finances of many families, I do believe it is sensible to temporarily extend free school meal
provision during the school holidays, while a long-term solution to the problem can be found to
eradicate holiday hunger. I am not naïve to the flaws in the current free school meals system, both
the universal nature of it and the administration of the system, and I was contacted by a number of
constituents during the Summer who either could not access food vouchers online or there were
issues in schools accessing these. However, on the whole I know that this provided a welcome
lifeline to many families. I have therefore been working with the Chair of the Education Select
Committee Robert Halfon, and was pleased to support his recent EDM which calls on the
Government to implement the recommendations in the National Food Strategy Part 1 to increase
the value of and expand eligibility for Healthy Start vouchers, expand eligibility for Free School
Meals, and extend the Holiday Activities and Food programme.
Locally, I have been the MP for over ten years and I of course understand that while we are in the
South-East of England there are still areas of deprivation locally and this disparity is often reflected in
the number of children eligible for free school meals. Following the vote last week, I contacted
Medway Council Leader Alan Jarrett and asked that his officers assess the numbers of children who
may be at risk of holiday hunger across Medway. The Council identified approximately 6,000 children
and I am pleased that they have worked in association with Citizens Advice Medway to ensure
vulnerable children locally do not go hungry. Similarly, Kent County Council are providing vouchers
which will support families in the other half of my constituency. Both are funded via money provided
by Central Government.

I will continue to do all that I can to support families that are facing financial hardship and will
continue to lobby Ministerial colleagues in the Department for Education for a long-term solution.

Yours sincerely

TRACEY CROUCH MP