It is a result of the second reading on Friday (January 19) of backbench MP Frank Field’s School Holidays (Meals and Activities) Bill, which was calling for a legal duty to be placed on councils to deliver “free meals and fun activities” for disadvantaged children during holiday periods.
Despite the support of more than 130 MPs, the Bill was not passed, but the during the debate the government did commit to conducting the pilots and acting on the findings.
The Bill came about after the work of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Hunger, which Mr Field chairs. It found in its Hungry Holidays report last year that up to three million children risk going hungry during the school holidays, with negative implications for both their health and educational attainment.
Register now, read forever
Thank you for visiting SecEd and reading some of our content for professionals in secondary education. Register now for free to get unlimited access to all content.
What's included:
-
Unlimited access to news, best practice articles and podcast
-
New content and e-bulletins delivered straight to your inbox every Monday and Thursday
Already have an account? Sign in here