Meetings
NDM7767 Plaid Cymru Debate - Free School Meals
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Meeting: 14/07/2021 - Plenary (Item 10)
Plaid Cymru debate – Free school meals
NDM7767
Sian Gwenllian
(Arfon)
To
propose that the Senedd:
1.
Notes the recent publication of several reports by the Bevan Foundation and the
Wales Anti-Poverty Coalition on expanding the provision of free school meals
and on the extent of poverty in Wales.
2.
Notes the recent publication of a letter by the Wales Anti-Poverty Coalition
signed by ten anti-poverty organisations calling on the new Welsh Government to
make expanding free school meals a priority.
3.
Calls on the Welsh Government to:
a)
amend the eligibility criteria for free school meals so that all school pupils
in families receiving universal credit or equivalent benefit are eligible;
b)
permanently extend free school meal entitlements to pupils in families with no
recourse to public funds;
c)
publish a timeline for the phased implementation of universal free school meals
to guarantee all school pupils a nutritious, locally sourced school lunch.
Bevan
Foundation: Expanding the provision of free school meals in Wales
Bevan
Foundation: Expanding the eligibility criteria for free school meals
Bevan
Foundation: Snapshot of poverty in spring 2021
A
copy of the letter mentioned in point 2 of the motion has been circulated to
Members of the Senedd.
The following amendments were tabled:
Amendment 1 Lesley
Griffiths (Wrexham)
Delete point 3 and replace with:
Notes the Welsh Government:
a) has commenced a review of the
eligibility criteria for free school meals as committed to in the Programme for
Government, with the intent of extending entitlement, provisional Pupil Level
Annual School Census (PLASC) data shows there are 108,203 pupils eligible for
free school meals, an increase of almost 18,000 since PLASC 2020;
b) has provided an additional £60m since
the start of the pandemic to provide additional Free School Meals in the
2020-21 financial year and has been recognised by the Education Policy
Institute (EPI) for its support to families eligible for free school meals
during the pandemic;
c) will provide an additional £23.3m to
extend free school meals in school holidays for the 2021-22 financial year,
providing the most generous provision in the UK; and
d) working with partners, delivers the only
universal primary school free breakfast scheme in the UK.
[If amendment 1 is agreed, amendment 2 will
be de-selected]
Amendment 2 Darren
Millar (Clwyd West)
In point 3, delete sub-point (c).
Minutes:
The item started at 17.41
Voting on the motion and amendments under
this item was deferred until Voting Time.
A vote was taken on the motion without
amendment:
NDM7767
Sian Gwenllian (Arfon)
To
propose that the Senedd:
1.
Notes the recent publication of several reports by the Bevan Foundation and the
Wales Anti-Poverty Coalition on expanding the provision of free school meals
and on the extent of poverty in Wales.
2.
Notes the recent publication of a letter by the Wales Anti-Poverty Coalition
signed by ten anti-poverty organisations calling on the new Welsh Government to
make expanding free school meals a priority.
3.
Calls on the Welsh Government to:
a)
amend the eligibility criteria for free school meals so that all school pupils
in families receiving universal credit or equivalent benefit are eligible;
b)
permanently extend free school meal entitlements to pupils in families with no
recourse to public funds;
c)
publish a timeline for the phased implementation of universal free school meals
to guarantee all school pupils a nutritious, locally sourced school lunch.
Bevan Foundation: Expanding the
provision of free school meals in Wales
Bevan Foundation: Expanding the
eligibility criteria for free school meals
Bevan Foundation: Snapshot of
poverty in spring 2021
A
copy of the letter mentioned in point 2 of the motion has been circulated to
Members of the Senedd.
For |
Abstain |
Against |
Total |
13 |
0 |
43 |
56 |
The motion without amendment was not agreed.
The following amendments were tabled:
Amendment
1 Lesley Griffiths (Wrexham)
Delete
point 3 and replace with:
Notes
the Welsh Government:
a)
has commenced a review of the eligibility criteria for free school meals as
committed to in the Programme for Government, with the intent of extending
entitlement, provisional Pupil Level Annual School Census (PLASC) data shows
there are 108,203 pupils eligible for free school meals, an increase of almost
18,000 since PLASC 2020;
b)
has provided an additional £60m since the start of the pandemic to provide
additional Free School Meals in the 2020-21 financial year and has been
recognised by the Education Policy Institute (EPI) for its support to families
eligible for free school meals during the pandemic;
c)
will provide an additional £23.3m to extend free school meals in school
holidays for the 2021-22 financial year, providing the most generous provision
in the UK; and
d)
working with partners, delivers the only universal primary school free
breakfast scheme in the UK.
A vote was taken on amendment 1:
For |
Abstain |
Against |
Total |
28 |
0 |
28 |
56 |
As there was an equality of votes, the Presiding Officer used her
casting vote to vote against the motion, in accordance with Standing Order
6.20(ii).
Amendment
2 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)
In
point 3, delete sub-point (c).
A vote was taken on amendment 2:
For |
Abstain |
Against |
Total |
43 |
0 |
13 |
56 |
Amendment 2 was agreed.
A vote was taken on the motion as amended:
NDM7767 Darren
Millar (Clwyd West)
1. Notes the recent publication of several
reports by the Bevan Foundation and the Wales Anti-Poverty Coalition on
expanding the provision of free school meals and on the extent of poverty in
Wales.
2. Notes the recent publication of a letter
by the Wales Anti-Poverty Coalition signed by ten anti-poverty organisations
calling on the new Welsh Government to make expanding free school meals a
priority.
3. Calls on the Welsh Government to:
a) amend the eligibility criteria for free
school meals so that all school pupils in families receiving universal credit
or equivalent benefit are eligible;
b) permanently extend free school meal
entitlements to pupils in families with no recourse to public funds;
Bevan
Foundation: Expanding the provision of free school meals in Wales
Bevan
Foundation: Expanding the eligibility criteria for free school meals
Bevan
Foundation: Snapshot of poverty in spring 2021
For |
Abstain |
Against |
Total |
10 |
10 |
36 |
56 |
The motion as amended was not agreed.