Written question WQ87176

We do want everyone in Primary Schools to receive a free school meal. But we also want to continue to identify those children and families that would traditionally have been eligible for a free school meal through income or benefits-related criteria.

“Claim what is yours” is a key message in our Universal Free School Meals communications campaign and is using targeted social media to reach parents across Wales highlighting the other benefits they may be entitled to as a result of registering.

In my written statement of 19 January, I announced our work on a new information ecosystem to support evaluation and improvement across the school system. Through this, attention will be given to contextual information that can best help us understand the impact of disadvantage on educational outcomes and inform our approaches to tackling these barriers.

The universal provision of free school meals in primary schools is being carried out in collaboration with Siân Gwenllian MS, the Plaid Cymru lead designated member, as part of the Co-operation Agreement between the Welsh Government and Plaid Cymru.