The Department for Education has launched a new programme of research and pilots to explore ways of tackling "holiday hunger" among pupils from disadvantaged families.

The intervention came as the government declined to back a private members' bill presented by Labour MP Frank Field that would have required councils to facilitate the delivery of programmes providing free meals and activities for children during the holidays. The bill had been supported by the NAHT headteachers' union.

Speaking in Parliament today, the new education minister Nadhim Zahawi said new research and pilots would explore how best to help the most disadvantaged children to benefit from healthy meals and enriching activities during the school holidays in some of the areas most in need across the country.

The DfE said details of the pilot programme would be confirmed later in the year. The department said research would begin immediately and will include a pilot programme in the summer of 2019, to test the effectiveness of interventions, look at take-up of provision, identify the costs involved and consider whether there are particular areas where programmes would be most effective.

Healthy meals 'help pupil attainment'

Mr Zahawi said: “We want every child to reach their potential, and healthy meals can contribute to their development and improved attainment. Understanding children’s current access to healthy meals and enriching activity is the most effective ways of promoting it, and the costs associated are crucial.

“That’s why we will launch research into the issue, including a targeted pilot programme.

“Academic standards are rising and there are now 1.9 million more children in schools rated 'good' or 'outstanding' than in 2010. We are building on this success by supporting the country’s most disadvantaged children, including through free school meals and a £26 million investment over the next three years to kick-start or improve breakfast clubs in at least 1,500 schools.”

On Twitter, Mr Field welcomed the action proposed by the government. "Today marks the first move in over 100 years by a government specifically committing itself to a programme of work to eliminate child hunger in school holidays," he said.

"Much more work to be done through pilot schemes and research, but a major step has been taken to end holiday hunger."

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