It is heartbreaking to have this debate today, and it's not just Welsh Government who have a lot to answer for, but the UK Government has a lot to answer for as well. The thought of children going hungry in Wales and families struggling to put food on the table is a failure. It's a failure of Government and it's a failure of societal and economic systems. Many years ago, I was one of those kids. I was on free school meals for some time. My experiences have led me to the conclusion that free school meals ultimately should be universal. Aside from the clear effect that free school meals has on poverty and economic inequality, as well as the well-being of pupils, it also has a clear effect on educational attainment. After all, how can a learner concentrate at school if they are hungry?

Universal entitlement improves attainment by more amongst pupils from less affluent families than amongst pupils from more affluent families. In Wales, half as many pupils eligible for free school meals achieved the level 2 key stage 4 educational attainment threshold as children who are not eligible, and they are far more likely to be excluded from school. In the short term, children from households that lack food security are more likely to suffer educational losses, hampering their progress and development. This inevitably places pressure and additional stress on children that live in poverty. Children that go hungry are far more likely to suffer from anxiety and severe stress, and there are proven links between hunger in early life and depression and suicidal episodes, as well as the likelihood of developing chronic illnesses such as asthma. Crucially, for proper brain growth in children, they must be provided with specific nutritional requirements. Ensuring our children receive these nutrients through universal access to nutritious meals will therefore also ensure the well-being of future generations, preventing serious illnesses and chronic conditions as well as ensuring healthy brain development. The evidence is clear: children not eating a healthy diet are more likely to suffer problems as they age. They'll be more likely to suffer from diseases such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease and obesity.

The COVID-19 pandemic has of course left many families struggling to feed their children, and the dramatic shifts in education have left many school-age children behind, hamstringing working-class children who are already playing catch-up with well-off peers. At the very least, children in poverty have suffered a double blow to their well-being, and the provision of school meals would allow them to recover and thrive. If we want children and young people to thrive in education and to grow up to be healthy adults, they need nutrition. It's simple. The cost implications of poverty and hunger, the impact on health, physically and mentally, as well as on educational attainment, of not feeding children will be far greater than the cost of providing free school meals. By providing nutritious meals to all children, especially all those in poverty, and by procuring those meals locally, we can boost the economy and ensure our children and young people can thrive and grow, no matter their background. I would hope that a Welsh Labour Government would agree with this. It's no good standing up and saying that we provide the best free school meals provision in the UK. Quite simply, the best is not good enough. We've heard it time and time again in the Chamber over the years—the language of priorities is the religion of socialism. For me and many others, that still means something.