Letter: We must save free school meals

Letter: I was greatly disturbed to read the news in the Times (June 9) that the Education Secretary has recommended stopping free meals to a million schoolchildren.

The UK ranks fourth in child poverty in the 25 EU countries, According to the child poverty organisation, and Mirror.co.uk, there are four million, 1:3, or 30 per cent of children caught in the poverty trap.

ECPC reports that a couple with two children has a weekly income of £295 after housing costs. The weekly cost of sending a child to school is £25 per head.

The caloric requirement of schoolchildren depends on the age, gender and level of physical activity of each child.

The average number of calories required by primary schoolchildren is between 1,800 and 2,000. For secondary school children it is: boys aged 11-14 years, 2,500; 15-18 years, 3,000; girls aged 11-14, 2,200 and 15-18, 2,300.

It would be a travesty of justice to deny free school meals to poverty-stricken children with low parental income.

We may save many millions but at the cost of the health of four million children.

I would request the Secretary of State for schools to seek advice from eminent child health professionals on the important issue of the free school meals to the lower-income children.

Please do not be a "meal snatcher".

Dr Nak Mahmandi

Stirchley Park