Law on 'holiday hunger' passed by Stormont assembly

Résumé détaillé

A majority of 49 to 24 assembly members backed the legislation, which was proposed by Sinn Féin's Danny Baker and welcomed by some parents and charities.

A proposed law which would help poorer families with food costs during school holidays is to face its final hurdle in the Northern Ireland Assembly on Tuesday.

Some parents and charities have welcomed the Holiday Meal Payments Bill, external, which was brought forward by Sinn Féin's Danny Baker.

It would create a new payment for families whose children receive free school meals, which would be made outside of term time to help with the cost of food.

But Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) Education Minister Paul Givan has been consistently critical of the legislation, warning it will immediately cost his budget £25m to £30m a year at a time when all departments are struggling financially.

Baker said he was motivated to introduce it by some of his experiences of breakfast clubs and meal schemes in youth work.

"There was a young boy, about the same age of my youngest, around seven years old," he explained.

"To cut a long story short, he was bringing home food for his siblings because there just wasn't enough food in the house."

Baker said all ministers had choices to make and the legislation alone could not solve child poverty, but would act as an "early intervention".

Children are eligible for free school meals if their family's household income is below £15,390 a year.

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