Gosport MP Caroline Dinenage stood up for students in sixth form colleges during a debate in Parliament today.
The local MP took part in a Westminster Hall debate on why disadvantaged teenagers at sixth form colleges do not receive free school meals. The funding anomaly causes over 100,000 16-18 year olds to miss out on the meals that their counterparts in school sixth forms get.
During the debate, Caroline stressed that the anomaly was harming underprivileged teenagers in the local area. She said:
"The anomaly penalises some of the most disadvantaged teenagers in our education system. Teenagers such as the ones in my own constituency of Gosport, who are committed to furthering their education - and their opportunities in life - at our great local sixth form colleges."
Education Minister Nick Gibb, responding on behalf of the Government, assured MPs that the Department for Education remained committed to supporting disadvantaged students and agreed to raise the issue with ministerial colleagues.
Speaking after the debate, Caroline added:
"This anomaly flies in the face of this Government's strong record on education. It is inherently unfair to deny underprivileged students at colleges like St Vincent's a free lunch simply because of the educational path they have taken, and I hope that Ministers take action in the light of this debate."
