To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much capacity funding for universal infant free school meals has been (a) requested by and (b) disbursed to schools in (i) Washington and Sunderland West Constituency, (ii) the Sunderland local authority area and (iii) the north-east region.

On 18 December 2013, the Government announced capital allocations for universal infant free school meals for the 2014-15 financial year. This included allocations of (a) £562,850 to Sunderland city council and (b) £6.1 million to all local authorities in the north- east region. We do not allocate funding at a Constituency level.

In addition, academies have received capital funding through the Academies Capital Maintenance Fund. This includes allocations of (a) £162,380 to academies within the Sunderland local authority area and (b) £311,608 to academies within the north-east region. Across the country, £2.5 million has also been made available to multi-academy trusts.

Of the capital funding that has been allocated to Sunderland, the authority has confirmed to the Department that 75% or more has been disbursed to specific projects to support universal infant free school meals. We do not hold information on the precise amount disbursed, and nor do we hold these data at a regional level.