Free school meals and finances

by adamboyden on 23 October, 2020

I have written to our MP David Warburton to ask the following –

‘I would just like to know, if you can explain why you and other Conservative MPs chose to vote against the provision of free school meals over the next school holidays during the continued pandemic? This seems at odds with the previous commitment over the summer and warms words on this (after a U turn) by the PM. We know many low income households are really struggling at the moment, and this would certainly help. I understand the OBR figures show the Government can afford to do this’.

You can read the Commons debate here. This means children in Frome, Somerton, Castle Cary and across the whole constituency could go hungry these holidays without further help. Local charity Fair Frome’s foodbank and holiday hunger project are likely to be under additional pressure and could do with everyone’s support. In contrast, the Welsh Government, with Lib Dem Education Minister Kirsty Williams, has secured free school meal provision for all school holidays until at least Easter 2021, and Scotland has followed suit.

‘Secondly, are you as concerned as I am at the lack of transparency, scrutiny and good financial controls on contracts being let by Government in relation to the NHS including PPE, including contracts worth millions to companies that appear to be run by friends or associates of members or senior advisors to the Conservative Government, as is being revealed by the Good Law Project?

I would also like to ask if you can support the moves by some MPs to donate their recently announced pay rises to local charities. I can think of a few good causes, including Fair Frome and Somerset Community Foundation. I know MPs’ pay is set by an independent body, but at the moment, we are all in this together, and it would certainly help the reputation of MPs to do so.’

I look forward to hearing from David.

In the meantime, please back our campaign to end child hunger.

   Leave a comment

Leave a Reply

You can use these tags: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>