Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Free Breakfast Clubs

Monday 2 March 2026 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The government has rolled out Best Start free breakfast clubs across the south-west, opening 30 school-based nurseries and nearly 100 breakfast clubs
  • The government claims that their programmes, including breakfast clubs, are evidence based and will drive up attainment and improve attendance for schoolchildren
  • Rebecca Smith questioned how the government can prove the impact of free breakfast clubs on child poverty without basic data on which councils have implemented auto-enrolment for free school meals

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Noah Law Lab St Austell and Newquay
Children & Families
Context

The programme aims to provide free breakfast clubs in primary schools to improve child health and education outcomes. Pondhu primary school in Noah Law's constituency has been a model for the scheme.

Question

What steps has the government taken to roll out Best Start free breakfast clubs, given that Pondhu primary school in my constituency has been a trailblazer for the programme and its investment in school nurseries, which has been a resounding success?

Answer from Olivia Bailey

The government has rolled out the programme across the south-west, opening 30 school-based nurseries and nearly 100 breakfast clubs, supporting thousands of children to get the very best start in life. My hon. Friend has worked hard to support and encourage schools in his constituency to participate in the programmes.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific assessment of positive impacts on children and families

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Q2 Noah Law Lab St Austell and Newquay
Children & Families
Context

The government's free breakfast clubs programme is expanding in primary schools to support child health and education. Pondhu primary school in Noah Law's constituency has been a model for the scheme.

Question

What assessment has the government made of the positive impacts of free breakfast clubs on children and their families, given that Pondhu primary school in my constituency has been a trailblazer for the programme and its investment in school nurseries, which has been a resounding success?

Answer from Olivia Bailey

The government has rolled out the programme across the south-west, opening 30 school-based nurseries and nearly 100 breakfast clubs, supporting thousands of children to get the very best start in life. My hon. Friend has worked hard to support and encourage schools in his constituency to participate in the programmes.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific assessment of positive impacts on children and families

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Q3 Rebecca Smith Con South West Devon
Economy Children & Families
Context

The Department does not hold basic data on which councils have implemented auto-enrolment for free school meals, raising questions about the trustworthiness of the government's child poverty strategy.

Question

If the government does not hold basic data on which councils have implemented auto-enrolment for free school meals, how can they prove the impact of their taxpayer-funded support, such as free breakfast clubs, on child poverty in Devon and Plymouth?

Answer from Olivia Bailey

All our programmes are evidence based. When it comes to breakfast clubs, we know the data shows us that they will drive up attainment and improve attendance for our schoolchildren.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific data on councils implementing auto-enrolment for free school meals

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