GAVIN Williamson is facing a grilling by furious MPs over school chaos and scandalous free school meals packages.
The Education Secretary blasted companies who handed out meagre food parcels as “completely unacceptable”, saying he was “disgusted” by the provisions given to poor children.
Mr Williamson is being grilled by the Education Select Committee this morning after frantic parents shared pictures of potatoes and cans of beans, a loaf of bread and a block of cheese or boxes of cold chips after expecting food that could provide their children’s lunches for a week.
Those eligible for free school meals are entitled to £30 food vouchers but at the moment many parents across the country are being given food parcels instead from their local authority through suppliers.
The Education Secretary will also face tough questions over the decision to close schools and cancel A-levels and GCSEs, as coronavirus cases spiralled out of control.
Chair of the Education Select Committee Robert Halfon demanded Mr Williamson “name and shame” companies who hand out “parsimonious food parcels”.
And Mr Williamson blasted the company responsible for the meagre meal boxes, Chartwells, saying he was “disgusted” by the pictures of the food sent to families.
He told MPs: “When I saw that picture I was absolutely disgusted. As a father myself, I just thought how a family in receipt of that can really be expected to deliver five nutritious meals.
“It’s been made absolutely clear to Chartwells, to the whole sector, that that sort of behaviour is just not right, it will not be tolerated.”
Mr Williamson also faced questions over whether nurseries would close if lockdown measures were toughened up even more.
But while he said the “advice” was currently to keep them open, he refused to rule out closing them entirely, despite the devastating impact it would have on families trying to care for their kids.
After being pressed on whether or not teachers would be bumped up in the queue to get a vaccine, Mr Williamson said allowing them to have the jab was his “top priority”.
“My priority is to see teachers and support staff be in the place to get the vaccine at the very earliest moment,” he said.
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