Controversial plans to scrap free lunches dropped
Conservative plans to scrap free lunches for infant school children in England have been dropped.
According to the BBC, schools minister, Nick Gibb said the government would “retain the existing provision” after listening “very carefully” to the views of parents.
The Tory manifesto had proposed that free lunches to infants from poorer homes would be scrapped and replaced with free breakfasts for all primary school pupils.
This was expected to save a total of £650 million a year, but it was left out of the Queen’s Speech.
Nick Gibb told MPs: “We have listened very carefully to the views of the sector on the proposal to remove infant free school meals and we have decided that it is right to retain the existing provision."
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