Written question WQ86016
- Asked by
- Laura Anne JonesConservative
- To be answered by
- Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
- Tabled
- Due
- Answered
- Time to answer
- 13 days
Question
What checks has the Government done, over the summer break, to ensure the roll-out of free school meals is ready for delivery in the next few weeks?
Answer
Answered by Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
Since our commitment to deliver universal primary free school meals, my officials have supported local authorities to plan for and manage the roll-out. Throughout the summer officials have met with individual catering managers, benefit leads and representatives from local authorities to offer support and to gain assurance of their readiness for the roll-out. We also launched a national communications and marketing campaign to promote free school meals and to increase access to additional support for schools and individuals in light of the rising cost of living.
On 7 September, the First Minister and Siân Gwenllian, in her capacity as the Plaid Cymru lead Designated Member for the Co-operation Agreement, visited Ysgol Bro Preseli, in Pembrokeshire, to launch the roll-out of free school meals to primary pupils across Wales.
All 22 local authorities have started delivering a free school meal to at least reception pupils from the start of the autumn term. The visit also coincided with our announcement of £35m of additional capital funding to support continued infrastructure developments, including purchasing equipment, upgrading existing kitchen facilities, and updating digital systems to prepare for future phases of roll-out.
Delivery of the universal primary free school meals commitment has made significant progress in a short space of time. I am really pleased to see how local authorities and schools have embraced this and the speed at which they and our public services have worked together to begin providing free school meals.
This is a hugely ambitious policy and is just the start of the roll-out. We will continue to work with local authorities on plans to extend the scheme further into the 2023-24 academic year to meet the commitment for all primary school pupils to receive a free school meal by 2024. £260m has been committed to secure delivery of the commitment over the next three years.
This work is being carried out as part of the Co-operation Agreement between the Welsh Government and Plaid Cymru.