Campaigners claim minister attempting to undermine 'Holiday Hunger Bill'

Campaigners have accused the education minister of attempting to undermine a proposed Stormont law which would help poorer families with the cost of food.

The Democratic Unionist Party's (DUP) Paul Givan has been consistently critical of the legislation which is being brought forward by Sinn Féin assembly member Danny Baker.

Givan has warned it would immediately cost his department £20m a year at a time when it is already struggling to balance its budget.

The Holiday Meals Payment Bill would create a new payment for families whose children receive free school meals which would be made during school holidays to help with the cost of food.

The matter is due to be discussed in the assembly on Monday.

Givan has now proposed amendments which would give him the power to delay implementation.

He will need support from other parties for the amendments to be accepted.

It is not clear if he will get that support, although the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) has expressed reservations about the proposal.

As it is based on school meals, the cost of the scheme would be on the Department of Education.

It is modelled on the School Holiday Food Grant scheme introduced during the pandemic, which paid qualifying families £27 per child every fortnight.

In April, Givan warned MLAs that his department did not have funding for the scheme, so they would be voting to cut education spending if they supported it.

He has now proposed amendments which would give him discretion to decide when the payments would take effect.

A coalition of campaign groups, including the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) and Save the Children, say the amendments would mean "no guarantees about when, if ever, payments might begin".

They added: "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."