Overview

This bill aims to ensure that children in England and Wales have access to free meals and activities during school holidays. It starts with a pilot program in deprived areas, followed by a review, and then mandates local authorities to provide these services.

Description

The School Holidays (Meals and Activities) Bill proposes a two-stage approach:

Pilot Programme:

The Secretary of State can establish a pilot program in deprived areas, setting minimum standards for meals and activities, and criteria for participating organizations. This pilot will be reviewed, with a report submitted to Parliament within 12 months of its conclusion.

Mandatory Provision:

Following the pilot review, local authorities will be legally required to provide free meals and activities during school holidays to children in their area who request them. The bill allows for the use of surplus food stock from supermarkets and food manufacturers, following food safety guidelines.

The bill also permits regulations setting minimum standards for meals and activities, criteria for organizations involved, and creating an information portal for best practice. The implementation of the mandatory provision is dependent on parliamentary approval of the review report.

Government Spending

The bill states that any expenditure incurred by the Secretary of State under this Act, and any increase in sums payable under other Acts attributable to this Act, will be paid out of money provided by Parliament. No specific figures are provided in the bill itself.

Groups Affected

• Children in deprived areas: They will directly benefit from access to free meals and activities during school holidays.
• Local authorities: They will be responsible for facilitating and coordinating the provision of meals and activities, potentially incurring costs.
• Supermarkets and food manufacturers: They may contribute surplus food stock to support the program.
• Organizations providing activities: They will need to meet the specified criteria to participate.
• Parliament: They have a role in approving regulations and reviewing the pilot program.

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