Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, Conservative member for Cotswold, told a House of Commons debate of his concerns about the involvement of the Inland Revenue in an information-sharing scheme for education. "It is bad enough for children to be castigated because they receive free school meals," he said. "It is even worse if their parents are to be investigated as to whether the children are entitled to free meals. If that does happen, it should in no way involve children."
But school standards minister Stephen Twigg, while admitting the system should cut down on fraud, claimed it was also designed to reduce bureaucracy and encourage take-up of free meals.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
