Cutting corners on hungry kids

The free children’s meal parcel scheme is a typical example of how the Tories outsource services to private companies that then profit from the less fortunate in society.

Images of skinflint meal parcels for children entitled to free school dinners are being shared online and they are truly shameful.

As with many government outsourcing schemes, certain people get very rich off the backs of the disadvantaged – this time by scrimping on kids’ meals.

Tory MPs who voted to block a plan to extend free school meals in October should hang their heads in shame.

Stephen Dixon Redcar, North Yorks

As a mother and grandmother, I’m disgusted at the images of food parcels sent out to needy families. Saying sorry is not good enough. Who in their right mind would think these meals were adequate or acceptable? An investigation should be started and any profit private firms have made should be paid back with interest.

This is pure greed and exploitation of desperate families. Some of it is unhealthy food too. Why aren’t they being given wholemeal bread, pasta and so on? These companies should be named and shamed. Lynda Stephenson Brighton

It’s upsetting to read that Marcus Rashford’s mission to feed hungry school pupils is possibly being exploited by some companies providing those meals. No wonder there has

been an outcry, not only from parents, but from the Children’s Commissioner for England Anne Longfield, who stressed the inadequacy of many of the packages.

It begs the question as to whether the companies providing the meals are placing profit above their obligation to provide value for money for taxpayers, while at the same time the meagre parcels are failing to provide nourishment for hungry children.

Howard Gardner Sale, Gtr Manchester

I’m annoyed about the meagre food rations being given to needy children in lieu of free school meals. It’s unacceptable that private companies are profiting from a national emergency.

Contracts should not be given to firms that discriminate against poor families in such a way.

Money for food should be paid directly to the parents and guardians rather than vouchers, which imply they can’t be trusted to spend the cash on their children. KeeleyJasmine Cavendish, South East

London

The free school meals parcels sent out by private firms are shameful. But at least it reveals how the ideology of privatisation rips off the taxpayer.

Profiteering like this has impoverished our NHS, schools, prisons and so on.

We don’t need austerity measures, we just need to stop handing public contracts to secondary providers.

John Shale, Wigan, Gtr Manchester

It hasn’t taken long for the vultures to circle, quite literally taking the food out of children’s mouths. Why do we always have chancers trying to profit out of other people’s hardship?

It’s about time ministers grew a spine and came down on all firms not delivering value for money for taxpayers. Either step up, Boris, or step aside!

M Tuplin, Ulceby, North Lincs

So, here we go again – the Tories giving out public contracts to firms that fail to provide value for money. But this time they have gone too far, robbing food from the mouths of hungry children. Shame on the lot of them – they don’t know what it’s like to feel pangs of hunger. MA Yaxley, Plymouth