Question follow-through · 106993
Free School Meals
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children were entitled to free school meals in each of the last three years.
About this written question
A written question asks a government minister for information in writing. Parliament publishes the question and any answer.
- Answering body
- Department for Education
- Tabled
- 20 Jan 2026
- Target answer date
- 22 Jan 2026
- Answer
- 4 Feb 2026 · 15 calendar days after tabling
Elapsed calendar days describe the record timeline, not whether Parliament considers an answer on time.
More questions by this MP on Education and skills
- Education: Standards · 27 Jan 2026
- Further Education and Higher Education: Finance · 27 Jan 2026
- Children in Care · 28 Jan 2026
- Private Tutors · 9 Feb 2026
- Foster Care: Allowances · 9 Feb 2026
Shared topic keywords suggest a connection; they do not establish a follow-up.
Recorded timeline
20 Jan 2026
Question tabled
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children were entitled to free school meals in each of the last three years.
22 Jan 2026
Target answer date
Date supplied by the official written-questions record.
4 Feb 2026
Answer published
Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.The department publishes data on free school meal (FSM) eligibility and the number of eligible pupils taking FSMs on school census day in the annual Schools, Pupils...
Official data retrieved 28 Sept 2026.
Later records
Possible follow-up questions
Strong links require the same MP, department and exact heading. Other same-department questions are shown as unreviewed candidates, not as confirmed follow-ups. No debate link is asserted unless a stable source relationship exists.
Education: Standards
27 Jan 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help tackle educational underachievement.
Further Education and Higher Education: Finance
27 Jan 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of further and higher education funding.
Children in Care
28 Jan 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to ensure vulnerable children in care are given the best start in life.
Private Tutors
9 Feb 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he plans to review the regulation of the private tutoring sector.
Foster Care: Allowances
9 Feb 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance she has issued to (a) Health and Social Care Trusts and (b) fostering service providers on the treatment of foster care allowances in the assessment of Universal Credit; and what steps she is taki
Schools: Health and Safety
9 Feb 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many schools have evacuation chairs for pupils, staff and visitors with mobility impairments.
Childcare
10 Feb 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she has taken since July 2024 to (i) expand childcare provision and (ii) help tackle the affordability of childcare costs for working families.
Schools: Emergencies
4 Mar 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that all schools are adequately prepared for emergency situations.
Schools: Minibuses
4 Mar 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what information her Department holds on the number of schools who have their own minibus.
Pupils: Attendance
10 Mar 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to support schools in improving pupil attendance in areas with high absence rates.
Primary Education: Speech and Language Therapy
10 Mar 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the availability of speech and language support for pupils in primary schools.
Secondary Education: Digital Technology
10 Mar 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to provide additional funding to support schools in introducing digital literacy programmes for pupils aged 11 to 16.