Free school meals: No 10 should not ‘dictate’ policy and up to councils to feed children, Sunak says

Rishi Sunak has appeared to rule out a U-turn over free school meals vouchers, saying the government should not “dictate” how help is provided.

“We should be able to trust local councils in different areas to make decisions for their people,” the Chancellor said.

The comment adds to evidence that ministers will not bow to pressure to fund holiday vouchers for hungry children, but may instead provide more indirect help through town halls.

Mr Sunak told BBC Radio 1's Newsbeat the government was "absolutely committed" to stamping out hunger – but there is a “debate about what the best way to do that”.

“We've taken the view that we have provided resources for local authorities to help in a targeted way the most vulnerable children that they need to look after,” he said.

“We've got to trust local councils in their area and we provide them with resources, as we have done in this case, and directly to families.”

The Chancellor added: “So I don't think it's always the right answer that central government comes in and dictates things.” 

However, many councils say the £63m they were provided with in the summer has already been spent – and the government itself acknowledged it was only meant to last until October.

The comments come despite the government’s own food czar lambasting ministers for not “doing enough” to feed hungry children.

Henry Dimbleby, the head of the national food strategy, called for more “in-kind support”, providing food and other services, which was more effective than boosting Universal Credit.

“This problem is real, it should go without saying it’s serious, it’s immediate and it’s going to get worse as employment gets worse and the government isn’t doing enough,” he told BBC Radio 4.

“One in seven families already are reporting not to be able to afford enough food.”

Many Conservative MPs are in despair about Downing Street’s handling of the campaign, launched by England footballer Marcus Rashford, believing it is inflicting significant damage.

Although the cash involved in providing the meals is tiny in comparison with other spending – about £21m for the current half-term holiday – the prime minister appears determined to avoid another U-turn.

Some Tories are opposed to what they see as families becoming “dependent” on the extra state help, instead of exercising personal responsibility to feed their children.

But, as well has having been spent in many areas, the £63m highlighted was to “assist those struggling to afford food and other essentials” – and was not just to feed children.

Ministers are considering an expansion of holiday clubs as a disguised way of providing more meals, in the hope of ending the controversy, but they would struggle to provide the up to 2 million needed.

Nadhim Zahawi, the business minister, said the government could “learn from” the clubs piloted over the summer, by 17 local authorities.