Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey MP has written to the Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi accusing him of ignoring the school meal shortage crisis after it had been revealed schools are being told to stock up on food.
ITV has reported that ISS, one of the UK’s largest canteen suppliers, has written to its school catering staff to advise them to stock up on food to ensure pupils can be fed through the winter months.
It comes after months of warnings about the potential shortage crisis.
In a letter to Zahawi, Liberal Democrat Leader Sir Ed Davey MP said that parents have already “endured so much and worked so hard during the pandemic.” He added, “For far too many children this is their one hot meal of the day and for you to oversee yet another part of this crisis is a catastrophic failure.”
He has called on the education minister to urgently meet with school caterers, school governors and local councillors to discuss the crisis.
Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey MP said: “Parents have worked hard and done everything right in the pandemic but Boris Johnson’s Government has failed them again. They were warned months ago, they didn’t plan, they just don’t care.
“In government, Liberal Democrats delivered on free school meals, this government – through incompetence and carelessness – is now snatching them away. For too many children this is their one hot meal a day.
“From lack of drivers to the petrol crisis, all paths lead back to Boris Johnson and his failure of leadership.”