The Government has dropped two controversial pledges made during the election campaign: a plan to axe free lunches for infant school children and a free vote on repealing the fox hunting ban.

Prime Minister Theresa May has been forced to shelve a number of key policies after losing her Commons majority in the General Election.

Both the school lunches and the fox hunting proposals had been omitted in the Queen's Speech, which outlined the Government's legislative programme for the current parliamentary session from 2017 to 2019.

:: School lunches

Image: The school lunch proposal proved highly controversial during the campaign

Schools minister Nick Gibb said the Government had listened carefully to the views of parents and abandoned its proposal to scrap the lunches and instead offer a free breakfast for all primary school pupils.


He told him Commons: "We have listened very carefully to the views of the sector on the proposal to remove infant free school meals and we have decided that it is right to retain the existing provision."

"Universal infant free school meals ensure that children receive a nutritious meal during the day - it saves hard working families hundreds of pounds a year and it boosts educational achievement, especially amongst children from the most disadvantaged backgrounds."

Mr Gibb had been pressed by shadow education secretary Angela Rayner.

During the campaign, the Conservatives had said evidence showed a free school breakfast is as effective at helping children learn as a hot meal at lunch. And they argued that a free school breakfast could be delivered at a 10th of the cost, at around £60m a year.

But the proposal sparked criticism from school leaders and parents, who said that the offer of a free breakfast was not as good as a free lunch,

Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver said the plans were "misguided".

:: Fox hunting ban

Image: The ban was introduced in 2004 under Tony Blair's Labour government

Environment minister Therese Coffey said the Conservatives are not planning to bring forward a free vote on repealing the fox hunting ban in "this session", suggesting it will be at least two years before such an idea is even considered.

The Tory manifesto contained a pledge to hold a free vote on overturning the ban, which was introduced under Tony Blair's Labour government in 2004.

It bans the use of dogs to hunt foxes and other wild mammals in England and Wales.

Ms Coffey's disclosure came in response to a written parliamentary question from Labour MP Catherine West.

The minister said: "The Government's manifesto includes a free vote on the Hunting Act 2004, but we are not planning to bring forward a free vote in this session."

Anti-hunt Conservative MPs warned against offering a free vote during the General Election campaign, with Sir Roger Gale insisting MPs would have "more than enough to occupy" their time without considering "yesterday's argument" of repealing the Hunting Act.

Animal protection charity Humane Society International said it was "delighted" at the news.

Executive Director Claire Bass said: "Fox hunting is not only a barbaric assault on an iconic species of British wildlife, it is also extremely unpopular with the public.

"A recent poll showed that 84% of the British public support the ban on fox hunting.

"There is a growing list of Conservative MPs who reject this horrifically cruel excuse for a 'sport' and we look to them to keep this archaic policy out of future Tory manifestos."