§ Ms BuckTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what the estimated annual cost would be of extending free school meals(a) to all children, (b) to all children under 11 years, (c) to all children whose parents are in receipt of working families tax credit and (d) to children under 11 years whose parents are in receipt of working families tax credit. [64683]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeWe have no plans to extend eligibility for free school meals and have not therefore made precise costings. We estimate the approximate cost in England of(a) to be £1.8 billion and of (b) to be £1 billion. On the basis of assumptions by the Inland Revenue on the numbers of children whose parents will be in receipt of Working Families Tax Credit, we estimate the approximate cost of (c) to be some £410 million and of (d) to be £210 million.