7. Member Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv): Healthy School Meals

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:48 pm on 15 May 2019.

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Photo of Mike Hedges Mike Hedges Labour 4:48, 15 May 2019

To many children, including many in my constituency, their school is their major source of food during term time. The breakfast and midday meals provided in schools are the only meals they have, topped up only with snacks at home. Children will attend school in the morning having not eaten properly since their school midday meal the day before. This is not bad parenting, this is poverty, the result of austerity and the cruelty of universal credit. For many children, the breakfast and lunch they get in school is the only healthy food they will eat that day. By improving school meals, we are not only providing important nutritional assistance, but we are also helping kids to be better equipped to feed their minds and learn.