Question
I was shocked to see the front page of the Western Mail last week, which said: “Free milk scheme for pupils could be scrapped”. I thought we had gone back in time to the infamous milk snatcher, Margaret Thatcher, but no, it was the modern-day Plaid Cymru Welsh Government. Does the Secretary of State agree with me that scrapping free school milk would be a backward step, and will he commit to working with Cabinet colleagues to ensure that the Union means more opportunities for our children in Wales, not fewer?
Answer
Well, I have to say that when Plaid won in May, I did not have Thatcherism 2.0 on my bingo card. First, Plaid dragged its feet on additional learning needs funding; then it refused to commit to Flying Start; and now it may be targeting free school milk. My hon. Friend is right: the Plaid Welsh Government should be supporting children and families, just as this UK Labour Government have by scrapping the two-child cap, which will be hugely beneficial for nearly 70,000 Welsh children.59% point-scoring
Verdict: AMBER (37/100)
The reply only partly answered the question. On whether scrapping free school milk would be a backward step, it made a political point against the Welsh Government but never directly said whether it agreed. On how the Union supports opportunities for children, it gave a concrete example (scrapping the two-child cap, which affects nearly 70,000 Welsh children), but it did not commit to working with Cabinet colleagues, which the question specifically asked for. The asker would likely need to follow up on both points.
Verdict: AMBER (42/100)
The reply only partly answers the question. On the first point, whether scrapping free school milk would be a backward step, it implies criticism through rhetorical remarks but never states a clear position, so the response is largely hedged. On the second point, it gives a concrete, direct UK-level action for Welsh children by pointing to scrapping the two-child cap, which would benefit nearly 70,000 Welsh children. It does not, however, commit to working with Cabinet colleagues as requested, so the person who asked would likely need to press again for a clear position and a firm commitment.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Does the Secretary of State agree that scrapping free school milk in Wales would be a backward step? | Partially Addressed | Hedged | The reply never states outright that scrapping free school milk would be a backward step. It implies disapproval through the 'Thatcherism 2.0' jibe, says Plaid 'may be targeting' free school milk, and says the Welsh Government 'should be supporting children and families', but these stay rhetorical and tentative rather than affirming the claim directly. |
| Does the Secretary of State agree that scrapping free school milk in Wales would be a backward step? | Partially Addressed | Hedged | The reply never states plainly whether scrapping free school milk would be a backward step. It implies disapproval through 'it may be targeting free school milk' and 'my hon. Friend is right: the Plaid Welsh Government should be supporting children and families', but it stays at the level of political point-scoring and does not directly answer the 'agree' question. |
| Will the Secretary of State commit to working with Cabinet colleagues to ensure that the Union provides more opportunities for children in Wales? | Partially Addressed | Direct | The reply points to a concrete UK-level measure for Welsh children (scrapping the two-child cap, affecting nearly 70,000 Welsh children), which substantively addresses how the Union delivers opportunities for children. However, it never commits to working with Cabinet colleagues on this, which was the core of the 'will you commit' request. |
| Will the Secretary of State commit to working with Cabinet colleagues to ensure that the Union delivers more opportunities for children in Wales? | Partially Addressed | Direct | The reply gives a concrete UK-level action for children in Wales (scrapping the two-child cap, benefiting nearly 70,000 Welsh children), which speaks to the substance of the item. However, it never makes the requested commitment to work with Cabinet colleagues on this, so the commitment element of the question goes unanswered. |