Politics · United Kingdom · 1 hr ago
Campaigners say minister’s amendments weaken Holiday Hunger Bill
The dispute is over the Holiday Hunger Bill and payments to families during school holidays.
Education Minister Givan has proposed amendments that would let him decide when payments begin.
Campaign groups, including the NSPCC and Save the Children, say this would leave families with no guarantee that payments will start.
The scheme is based on school meals and would be paid for by the Department of Education.
It is modelled on a pandemic-era grant that gave qualifying families £27 per child every fortnight.
In April, Givan warned MLAs that his department had no funding for the scheme and said supporting it would mean cutting education spending.
The campaign groups are asking political parties and MLAs to reject the amendments and support the bill as it stands.
Education Minister Paul Givan has proposed amendments to Northern Ireland’s Holiday Hunger Bill.
Campaign groups say the changes could leave families without any guarantee of when payments would begin.
The proposed scheme would be paid for by the Department of Education because it is based on school meals.
Givan warned MLAs in April that his department did not have funding for the scheme.
The bill is modelled on a pandemic-era grant that paid qualifying families £27 per child every fortnight.
- Who
- Education Minister Paul Givan proposed amendments; campaign groups including the NSPCC and Save the Children oppose them.
- What
- The amendments would give the minister discretion over when payments under the Holiday Hunger Bill take effect.
- When
- The BBC article was published on 12 October 2026; Givan warned MLAs about funding in April.
- Where
- Northern Ireland.
- Why
- Givan said his department did not have funding for the scheme. Campaigners say the amendments would leave no guarantee about when payments might begin.
Campaign groups
Education Minister Paul Givan
Payments
Campaign groups
Campaign groups say the amendments mean there would be no guarantee about when payments might begin.
Education Minister Paul Givan
Givan’s amendments would give him discretion to decide when payments take effect.
Funding
Campaign groups
Campaign groups call on MLAs to support the bill as it stands.
Education Minister Paul Givan
Givan warned MLAs that his department did not have funding for the scheme.
no guarantees about when, if ever, payments might begin
We are calling on all political parties and all MLAs to reject the amendments tabled by the education minister and support the bill as it currently stands.
Givan warned MLAs that his department did not have funding for the scheme.
The BBC reported that Givan had proposed amendments giving him discretion over when payments would take effect.
- Proposed change
- Minister would decide when payments take effect
- Department responsible
- Department of Education
- Pandemic-era grant
- £27 per child every fortnight
- Article publication
- 12 October 2026
Sources
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