Supporting Disadvantaged Families

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 5:23 pm on 9 November 2020.

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Photo of Tom Hunt Tom Hunt Conservative, Ipswich 5:23, 9 November 2020

Over the summer, the Under-Secretary of State for Education, my hon. Friend Vicky Ford, visited me in Ipswich because we were one of the pilots where the holiday food and activities fund was in operation. I can tell everyone in this House that this has been a long time coming—it has been worked on by Government for a very long period and was very much a plan that they hoped to extend across the country. This is far more ambitious than what was proposed in terms of simply extending the school meal vouchers into the holidays; this is an unprecedented intervention to help those who need the help the most, and I fundamentally welcome it. But does my right hon. Friend agree with me that we all have a big job to do, both in this place but also as Government and as councils, to make sure that before December everyone is aware of this fund and the profile is raised so that we can ensure that those who are vulnerable and need the help the most get access to it in a timely way?