In the first school week of the new lockdown pupils eligible for free school meals have been receiving packed lunches. However, the adequacy of these packages has already been questioned by local MP Andrew Jones.
Mr Jones was contacted by a constituent in Knaresborough who told him that she had received two pre-packed sandwiches, two mini yoghurts, an apple, an orange and two potatoes to feed her son for five days.
Mr Jones commented:
This simply isn’t good enough.
There are reports that the companies distributing this food have been paid £30 for a week’s food but you could buy what my constituent received for a few pounds. Fortunately my constituent can manage this week but that isn’t the point.
Surely it would have been better and cheaper to give parents a loaf of bread and the ingredients to make their own sandwiches rather than send supermarket pre-packs? It would have been more nutritious too. What has been sent seems to me to be completely inadequate. Whichever companies are being used to supply the meals need to buck their ideas up and do it pronto.
Mr Jones is attending a briefing with children’s minister, Vicky Ford, this evening where he and other MP’s are asking for her to investigate the shortcomings as a matter of urgency.
Mr Jones concluded:
Where companies have failed to provide a proper service they need to be held to account. Where they can’t provide adequate lunches they need to be replaced. This is a problem that needs to be gripped fast.
Andrew Jones MP often seems shocked at his own party’s endless bad behaviour. Isn’t it time he resigned from such a shocking party? What is the point of a party which simply wants to be in power without any sensible aims or aspirations? It gets everything wrong every step of the way because is doesn’t have aims apart from giving contracts to its funders, so that it can stay in power. We desperately need a modern voting system (proportional representation instead of first-past-the-post) so that we can have decent diverse politics where everyone’s voice is heard, instead of this tired old two-party ding-dong( which two parties depends on where you live). All other ‘developed’ countries have ditched FPTP – except the USA……..say no more!