Heady heady

THERE has been a great deal of news coverage regarding Free Schools Meals. Many have written to me concerned and angry because they have been told by Labour that free school meals are being removed.

This is completely false and has been exposed as false by independent fact-checking organisations.

To the contrary, I am committed to ensuring that disadvantaged, young people are able to access a free nutritious meal at school.

No child will lose their meals during the rollout of Universal credit as a result of these changes. Our plans mean an extra 50,000 children will be eligible for a nutritious meal at school by 2022.

Labour’s claim that our changes could leave over a million children without this is deliberately misleading.

Since 2010, we have extended the availability for free school meals to disadvantaged students in further education and introduced universal infant free school meals.

When Universal Credit was introduced, the Government were clear that they would set a A NASTY situation was retrieved from the brink By my timely eye-catching wink A wink that day rescued the situation From what might have been a confrontation? My eyes had somehow conveyed a silent word One not spoken but was heard All hostility quickly came to an end Yes that wink had made me a new friend Knowing I would lose out in a fight I reckon that wink saved me tonight. OUR sons and daughters we love very much new criteria for free school meals.

To ensure that no one was adversely affected during its roll out, the Government temporarily made Universal Credit a qualifying benefit for Free School Meals, regardless of income. As was made clear But when it’s time to leave home most need a gentle push They may still be a little green behind the ears No one goes through life without a few tears On finding a husband or a wife They will soon settle down into family life Grandparents we will happily become Although it puts a hole in our income Now is the time for our children to mature and grow As parenthood is a great experience as they will come to know Finally we all have to say cheerio Like it or lump it we all have to go. Both by GEORGE McLANDERS, Byker