Overview

This bill proposes to extend free school lunches to all children in state primary schools in England and Wales. Currently, free school meals are only provided to certain children based on criteria such as family income. This bill aims to make free school meals universally available for all primary school children.

Description

The Free School Meals (Primary Schools) Bill amends the Education Act 1996. Specifically, it alters section 512ZB, which currently outlines eligibility for free school lunches. The amendment extends eligibility to include all children in Years 3 to 6, in addition to the existing eligibility for children in Year 2. The bill defines "Year 3" to "Year 6" based on the age children will reach within those school years (ages 8 to 11 respectively).

The bill's geographical scope is England and Wales. It will come into effect two years after it receives Royal Assent.

Government Spending

The bill will significantly increase government spending on free school meals. The exact cost is difficult to determine without detailed analysis of the number of children affected and the cost per meal, but it will likely be substantial and in the hundreds of millions of pounds annually.

Groups Affected

The bill will directly affect:

• All primary school children in England and Wales: They will receive free school meals.
• Schools in England and Wales: They will need to adapt their meal provision to accommodate the increased demand.
• Government: Significant increase in expenditure on education.
• Families: Those previously ineligible will benefit from reduced household costs.

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