AQW 28411/22-27

Ms Claire Sugden
Independent
East Londonderry

Tabled Date: 09/06/2025
Answered On Date: 17/06/2025
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Education to detail whether his Department has undertaken an equality or poverty impact assessment on the current eligibility thresholds for free school meals, in light of recent statistics showing a rise in both relative and absolute child poverty.

Answer:

As part of my Department’s review of the free school meals and uniform grant eligibility criteria, an equality screening, rural needs impact assessment and a child’s rights impact assessment were completed. These documents are available on my Department’s website at https://www.education-ni.gov.uk/consultations/review-free-school-meals-and-uniform-grant-eligibility-criteria.