The announcement confirms the Prime Minister’s backing made in Prime Minister’s Questions last month, although the Chancellor did not indicate how long funding will be maintained for.
Lead Association for CAtering in Education (LACA) chair, Peter McGrath, said: “Today’s confirmation from the Chancellor that funding for Universal Infant Free School Meals will be maintained is fantastic news for children, parents, schools and the school food industry as a whole.
"The benefits of providing children with a hot and healthy meal at lunchtime are manifold and the Government’s commitment to this is most welcome. LACA looks forward to continuing to support its members to supply schools with nutritious food and to working with the Government to ensure that as many children as possible can benefit from this.”
A petition backed by the LACA in gathered over 40,000 signatures calling on the government to back UIFSM and not to scrap it following several media reports suggesting the future of the scheme was in doubt.