Welsh Government under fire for cutting free food provision during summer holidays

  • Report by ITV Wales reporter, Joanne Gallacher.

The Welsh Government is under fire for a decision not to continue funding free school meals over the summer break and other holidays.

In 2020, Wales became the first UK nation to guarantee free school meals for eligible families during the school holidays. Councils could provide this by either creating lunches, vouchers or direct payments to families.

A spokesperson said the move had been a “time-limited crisis intervention” in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and that there are other support schemes for struggling families.

However, opposition parties in the Senedd have slammed the move, including Plaid Cymru, which is working with the Welsh Government to roll out term-time free school meals to all pupils.

The party’s deputy leader Delyth Jewell MS told ITV News that she is urging the Welsh Government to make sure “the money is found”.

Some primary children in Wales now have free school meals. Credit: PA Images

  • "They talk the talk but fail to walk the walk"

Laura Anne Jones MS, the Welsh Conservative Shadow Education Minister said: “This news is indicative of Welsh Labour.

She added: "Once again they talk the talk but fail to walk the walk when it comes to free school meals in Wales.

“This comes as no surprise from Labour Ministers in the Senedd who have still failed to properly fund schools to expand their kitchens to be able to roll out their flagship free school meals scheme."

The Welsh Tories said holiday activities and food programme in England will continue. Credit: PA Images

The Welsh Government has told ITV News that "following a number of extensions", ministers "confirmed in March" that the scheme would be funded until the end of the May half term holiday.

It added: “We continue to support families through the cost-of-living crisis and have invested more than £3.3bn in programmes and schemes which put money back into people’s pockets.”

Free school meal roll out to all primary children begins
Welsh Government said the scheme was a "time-limited crisis intervention," in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Credit: PA Images

Meanwhile, Rocio Cifuentes, the Children's Commissioner for Wales, said whilst she recognises the "strain on the public purse, it’s a sad irony that shortly after publishing a draft Child Poverty Strategy the Welsh Government has announced a reduction in this critical support".

She added: "I am very worried about those children and how their families will manage over the summer, especially with living costs still incredibly high, particularly for food.

"Children should not go hungry in Wales, and I’m worried that this change will increase the number who do this summer."

Last September, children aged between four and five, who are starting school, were the first in Wales to receive free school meals during term time.

It is part of a phased expansion of school meals to all primary school children in Wales by 2024, around 272,000 children.

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