Meal scheme will switch for half-term The free meal system for school pupils will change over the February half term – as the government tries to balance its books by using a different department’s funding for the food. In a switchover that has the potential to spark some administration issues, meals for those that need … Read more
The Leader of Scottish Labour quit today just months before he was due to lead the party into difficult Holyrood elections. Richard Leonard announced he was stepping down with immediate effect this afternoon after three years in charge. The Yorkshire-born leftwinger, who was aligned with Jeremy Corbyn during his time as Labour chief, had already … Read more
Priti Patel today called for the £24.8billion-earning company behind the meal parcel that sparked the school dinner scandal to be punished, declaring ‘they should be ashamed of themselves’. The Home Secretary described the food package from Compass group-owned Chartwells as an ‘appalling display’ that was ‘totally unacceptable’. A government investigation is currently underway into the meal, … Read more
England could escape tougher lockdown measures for now after science chief Patrick Vallance suggested the current measures are ‘enough’ to control the mutant Covid strain and Neil Ferguson pointed to a ‘plateau’ in hospital admissions. Boris Johnson is set to hold off tightening the rules despite soaring deaths and Nicola Sturgeon imposing extra curbs in … Read more
Britain is in for a ‘pretty grim period’ for Covid deaths which won’t fall for ‘some weeks’, the Government’s top scientist warned today – after the UK recorded its deadliest day yet with 1,564 confirmed fatalities. Department of Health figures show the daily laboratory-confirmed death toll has risen 50 per cent week-on-week, with data suggesting the … Read more
Catering firm Chartwells has announced it will start including breakfast in free school meal deliveries in response to the fierce criticism of its meagre parcels. The under-fire schools food provider has apologised and vowed to raise standards after parents railed against the paltry lunches it was sending their children. Boris Johnson branded the boxes of … Read more
Parents will be able to claim food vouchers from next week after an outcry over paltry free school meal parcels forced another Government U-turn. Education Secretary Gavin Williamson today announced he would be reintroducing the £15 vouchers from January 18. He told MPs he was ‘absolutely disgusted’ by images shared by angry parents laying bare … Read more
Boris Johnson today hailed ‘early’ signs that the brutal lockdown is bringing coronavirus under control as he clashed with Keir Starmer at PMQs – but refused to rule out tightening the rules further. The premier insisted the measures in England were being kept ‘under constant review’ as the Labour leader demanded to know why they … Read more
Boris Johnson told footballer Marcus Rashford this morning paltry school meal hampers were ‘unacceptable’ – as one teacher admtted spending as little as £1 per meal rather due to ‘overheads’. The Prime Minister spoke to the Manchester United footballer following 48 hours of appalling images of sorry-looking groceries went around the internet. It came as … Read more
How much should the free school meals really be worth? Free school meal allowances are usually £2.34 per pupil per day, an additional £3.50 per seven days has been added in lockdown, equalling £15.20 a week. The Government has told schools to work with their school catering team or provider to make up the food … Read more