Questions Without Notice from Party Spokespeople

Part of 2. Questions to the Minister for Education and Welsh Language – in the Senedd at 1:47 pm on 16 June 2021.

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Photo of Siân Gwenllian Siân Gwenllian Plaid Cymru 1:47, 16 June 2021

(Translated)

—or is it a continuation of the funding that Kirsty Williams mentioned in the previous Senedd? 

Now, you've mentioned closing the attainment gap as one of your early priorities and I agree with you on that—it is crucially important. There is clear evidence, of course, that the one most effective thing that we can do in delivering this aim is to provide a nutritious free school meal to all school pupils as an addition to the formal education programme provided. But it's very disappointing to see in the programme for government, published yesterday by the Government, that you mention finding the resources and that any expansion of qualification for free school meals is conditional on finding additional resources. I would say that we must find the funding in order to support Wales's poorest pupils and that your Government must take that very first step on the journey towards universal free school meals provision.