THOUSANDS of children across Wales are at risk of going hungry in summer after the Welsh government decided to end free school meals support during holidays, Unison Cymru warned today.

The Welsh government blames lack of funding from Westminster for the decision, according to the union, which represents thousands of school support staff.

Unison Cymru branded it the “wrong choice” at a time when tens of thousands of working people “are trapped by low wages and high prices.”

Unison Cymru convener Jan Tomlinson said: “We understand the Conservative UK government has deprived Welsh government and councils of the money they need for vital local services that tackle poverty, but every politician has a moral duty to intervene and ensure children don’t go hungry.”

Emma Garson of Unison’s Cardiff County branch said that while offering free school meals to pupils all during term time was an excellent initiative, children “don’t just go hungry in the school year.”

She said: “Withdrawing free meals support this summer means children could face six weeks without regular hot meals. That is shameful.

“Making the announcement towards the end of the school term would have shocked parents expecting it to continue and they are unlikely to have budgeted for the cost of extra meals at what is already a more expensive time for families.”

In England, the problem is even worse, according to the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG).

It said that the Westminster government’s school meal provision “lags far behind Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland” and that “900,000 children living in poverty in England” miss out on free school meals.

“There is only one part of the school day that is means-tested — lunchtime,” said a spokeswoman.

“An urgent extension of free school meals to all school-age children at a cost of only £2 billion would mean no children miss out and would provide numerous educational, health and social benefits.

“We believe that all schoolchildren should be offered a balanced and filling school meal each day without cost.”

The Welsh government was invited to comment on Unison’s warning.