COLCHESTER’S MP said he hopes to make an announcement soon over whether to make free school meals available to children in some families with no recourse to public funds.

It comes as the Government has denied “dragging their feet” over whether to make free school meals permanently available to the struggling families.

Children and families minister Will Quince told MPs he hoped to make an announcement “at the earliest available opportunity”.

But he agreed, even if this was not made permanent, the Government could not force schools to stop giving meals to children from NRPF families who would otherwise go hungry.

NRPF is a condition applied to those staying in the UK on a temporary immigration status and who have not yet qualified for permanent residency in the UK, restricting their access to public funds.

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In April 2020 the Government temporarily extended free school meals to children in some NRPF families as the coronavirus outbreak impacted schools.

Charities and campaigners, such as England footballer Marcus Rashford, have called for this to be made permanent, and the Government has been reviewing this for more than a year.

Mr Quince told the Work and Pensions Committee the matter was an “absolute priority” and he hoped to make an announcement sooner rather than later.