Written questions

Free School Meals

Commons · Question 81271 · Tabled 13 Oct 2025 · Department for Education · Official record

Answered 30 Oct 2025

Question

Asked by Sharon Hodgson

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that schools' core budgets in more deprived communities are not disproportionately used to meet the costs of providing free school meals.

Answer

Answered by Olivia Bailey, 30 Oct 2025

This department spends over £1.5 billion annually supporting the provision of free and nutritious meals to around 3.4 million children. We have also set aside over £1 billion over the multi-year spending review period to back our significant expansion of ...