§ Vera BairdTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate she has made of the number of families not entitled to(a) income support and (b) income-based jobseeker's allowance who will be passported to free school meals under the new tax credits scheme. [77276]
§ Mr. Stephen TwiggSection 201 of the Education Act 2002 replaces Section 512 of the Education Act 1996, and anticipates that some families will move from720W income support and income based jobseekers allowance onto the new tax credits. If we had taken no action, they would have lost their entitlement to free school meals.
As was announced during the passage of the Education Bill through Parliament, we intend to make an order which will protect the school meal entitlement of around 100,000 children whose families will cease to receive Income Support and Income Based Jobseekers Allowance. It will also extend free school meals to an additional 89,000 children.
§ Vera BairdTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the arrangements will be for passporting families to entitlement to free school meals under the new tax credits scheme. [77277]
§ Mr. Stephen TwiggSection 201 of the Education Act 2002 replaces Section 512 of the Education Act 1996, and anticipates that some families will move from income support and income based jobseekers allowance onto the new tax credits. If we had taken no action, they would have lost their entitlement to free school meals.
As was announced during the passage of the Education Bill through Parliament, we intend to make an order which will protect the school meal entitlement of around 100,000 children whose families will cease to receive income support and income based jobseekers allowance. It will also extend free school meals to an additional 89,000 children.