§ Helen JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what estimate he has made of the cost of extending free school meals to(a) all
388Wfamilies in receipt of working families tax credit and (b) families in receipt of working families tax credit with less than half the average family income; [117142]
(2) what estimate he has made of the cost of extending free school meals to families where a parent is in receipt of the disabled person's tax credit. [117143]
§ Jacqui Smith[holding answer 3 April 2000]: The Department does not collect information on the cost of providing free school meals. We estimate that the annual cost in England of extending free school meals to children in full-time education (a) whose families are in receipt of working families tax credit would be over £400 million; (b) whose families are in receipt of working families tax credit with less than half the average family income would be slightly lower than £400 million; and (c) from families where a parent is in receipt of disabled person's tax credit could be in the region of £0.5 million.
We have no current plans to extend eligibility for free school meals (which would require primary legislation), but we are working closely with Group on ways of increasing take-up by entitled pupils.