YP Letters: Free primary school meals are food for thought

From: Bob Holland, Skipton Road, Cononley, Keighley.
Should primary school meals be free for all pupils?Should primary school meals be free for all pupils?
Should primary school meals be free for all pupils?

I HELP voluntarily each week in a primary school in Bradford and I eat dinner with the children. I support Labour’s policy that all meals should be free in primary schools for these reasons:

1. This will really help “just about managing” families, who at present the lose the right to free school meals if they increase income.

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As cost of living is now 
rising faster than wages and child benefits are frozen, millions of families really need this help.

2. All children benefit if their class has healthier children. They learn better and behave better. Sweets and sugary 
drinks in lunch boxes are not healthy.

3. We hear opposition from private schools, where VAT on fees should be used to pay for this policy.

These schools tell us 20 per cent of parents earn less than £50k.

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This means that a total of 80 per cent of parents earn above £50k.

4. The reason VAT is not charged now is that these schools are regarded as charities.

So they escape the tax charged on all other services.

Why should these schools be subsidised?

5. This policy would reduce the cost of living and inflation.

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