§ Mr. KirkwoodTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many children will lose their entitlement to free school meals under the Income Support (General) Regulations 1987 as amended by Income Support (General) Amendment (No. 4) Regulations 1991 (S.I. No. 1559/1991) and under Family Credit (General) 471W Regulations 1987 as amended by the Family Credit (General) Amendment Regulations 1991 (S.1. No. 1520/1991).
§ Miss WiddecombeNo family with children need lose their entitlement to free school meals due to these regulations. Approximately 45,000 families currently working and receiving income support will become eligible for family credit next April as a result of the change to the qualifying hours rule from 24 to 16 hours a week. They will be able to choose whether to claim family credit or to remain with income support. Those who continue to receive income support will retain their entitlement to free school meals. However, we expect around 30,000 families to move on to family credit and to be better off, even allowing for the loss of free school meals. The number of school age children in these families is approximately 35,000.
When the family credit children's rates were originally set in 1988, an amount was included in lieu of entitlement to free school meals. These rates have subsequently been uprated each year.