Sharon Hodgson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sharon Hodgson on 2016-07-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many secondary schools use cashless payment systems for school meals.

Mr Sam Gyimah

Cashless payment systems can have a number of advantages, including better queue management, removing issues around pursuing payment and reducing potential stigma for those claiming free school meals. However, it is for governing boards to decide the best system for collecting payment for school lunches and the department does not collect data on how many schools use such systems. The department has produced non-statutory guidance for schools on biometric systems in general, available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/268649/biometrics_advice_revised_12_12_2012.pdf

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