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Matt Hancock has insisted that the government does not need to extend free school meals beyond term times in England because local councils have been funded to support disadvantaged children instead.
The UK health secretary took a notably more conciliatory tone in media interviews on Monday, following a weekend of critical headlines for the government over the issue, and growing unrest among backbench Conservative MPs.
Despite some reports predicting a partial climbdown over the refusal to fund free school meals for poorer families this half-term and during the Christmas holidays, Hancock defended the government’s stance, saying it had already provided “a huge amount of extra investment”.
Hancock was at pains to praise Marcus Rashford, the England and Manchester United footballer, whose campaigning has pushed the issue into public prominence, and said Boris Johnson would respond to a letter from the player.
“I agree very strongly with the purpose of the campaign run by Marcus Rashford,” Hancock told Sky News. “I think we’re all inspired by the way he’s led that campaign. And the purpose is that no child should go hungry, and that’s right.
“The question is how we then fulfil that, and so I think that there is a need during this pandemic, and at all times, for the country to come together and to support people and that’s what we’re doing putting that investment in.”
While on Friday a Downing Street spokesman declined to praise private companies that have, with some councils, stepped in to provide holiday lunches, Hancock said it was “absolutely wonderful that companies have come forward and are playing their part”.
He added: “I also think that it’s brilliant that the councils are coming forward, having been funded by central government – £63m has gone to councils so that they can do exactly what you say, so that they can support people and make sure that everybody and every child gets the support that they need.”
Hancock argued that providing meals via councils was better than through central government, as councils “are close to their local community, and can therefore make the decisions to make sure that the people who really need it get the support”.
The inference that English councils are expected to use their share of the £63m Covid hardship fund to fill the gap for free school meals is likely to prompt surprise in some local authorities.
The sum is also intended to help disadvantaged people with needs such as heating. Councils say they have faced a cumulative £8bn in costs and lost income due to coronavirus, which has not been fully met by central government.
A Local Government Association spokesman said: “As many households are likely to be economically vulnerable for some time to come and it is vital that the government puts local welfare funding on a long-term, sustainable footing. The ability of councils to provide preventative support to all households who need it is vital if they are to ensure households can be financially secure.”
Speaking later to BBC1’s Breakfast programme, Hancock said he understood the prime minister had responded to a letter from Rashford, saying: “There has been communication between the two, as far as I understand it.”
Asked if there had been a response, Hancock said: “I’m not in charge of the prime minister’s correspondence – if there hasn’t been, I’m sure that that will be followed up.”
Asked about the idea of an extra level of coronavirus restrictions on top of the current three-tier model, Hancock said the government would “rule nothing out”. He said: “We’ve always said all along that we take nothing off the table.”
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