The free school meals debate

Marcus Rashford – a young, gifted, working-class footballer – is proving to be more of a statesman than those currently leading us (“Support grows for Marcus Rashford’s free school meals campaign”). The Government is missing the point. The free school meals policy was designed to help improve learning outcomes – hungry children tend not to learn as well as they should do. We are now faced with many in our society needing help to feed their families to stay well. The benefits system is unable to do so at the speed required, whereas schools know their communities and are ideally placed to work with other local leaders to get provisions to families who urgently need them. This is clearly the best option.

The Government can afford to hand out up to £6,250 a day to test and trace consultants for a system that doesn’t work. A week of one of them, compared to the weekly £15 food voucher scheme, would feed more than 2,000 children. Shame on you, Boris Johnson.

Laura Cunningham, London

I am mystified by Marcus Rashford’s campaign for free school meals to be extended into the holidays. Why is it necessary when most parents receive child benefit? If this allowance is not to assist with the cost of raising children, what is it for? Nick Reilly, Esher, Surrey

There is nothing as permanent as a temporary government programme, so it’s inevitable that year-round free school meals will become part of our welfare system. This is problematic.

Free meals control how the poor raise their children, reflecting Victorian notions that they make bad decisions. This infantilises the parents and stigmatises the children. Surely better policies are available.

Dr Chris O’Leary, Wildboarclough, Cheshire many Brexiters who acknowledge the cost of leaving the EU, but claim it is worth it to regain sovereignty. More and more Scots are now feeling the same way.