Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has been criticised for her proposed cuts to the education budget, including making free school meals for infants means-tested rather than universal.
Speaking to GB News, commentator and former Member of the European Parliament Annunziata Rees-Mogg claimed the move would save a "drop in the ocean" in funding compared to other education policies.
Phillipson has reportedly suggested reducing the schools budget from £64billion by around £500million in savings and efficiencies.
Other suggestions included ending the provision of free period products to girls and women in schools.
Annunziata Rees-Mogg has hit out at Bridget Phillipson for proposing cuts to free school meals, claiming the move would be a mere 'drop in the ocean' for savings
GB News / PA
Speaking to GB News, Rees-Mogg said the planned proposals are "mean, swingeing, shortsighted policies" which would save "less than half a percent" of the education budget.
Rees-Mogg explained: "She supposedly wants to offer to cut free school meals for infants - that's all Reception, Year One and Year Two children.
"Now I have to declare an interest, I have two children on these free school meals - one in Reception, one in Year Two, and presumably I will be one of the people that loses out.
"I personally won't be hugely affected, but the amount of money we're talking about is such a drop in the ocean."
She also questioned the efficiency of means testing, describing it as "a very expensive process to go through".
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Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has suggested cutting universal free school meals for infants to save money
PARees-Mogg told the panel: "Alongside scrapping meals for young children who may well need them, means testing parents, which is a very expensive process to go through, she's also talking about offering to cut dance, music and PE schemes and the scheme for children study abroad.
"These are just mean, swingeing, shortsighted policies to save less than half a percent of the education budget, when we all know that there are all sorts of things that could be cut. These surely are not the ones that need to go."
In agreement with Rees-Mogg, writer and broadcaster Matthew Torbitt claimed that cutting free school meals would be a "demeaning" move by the Government.
He stated: "You cannot be the breakfast giver and then the lunch snatcher - food is so important to kid's development.
Matthew Torbitt said the move would be 'demoralising' for Britons
GB News
"And the fact that Annunziata's kids get free school meals as well, that's the beauty of universal benefit - sometimes you make sure everybody in society is covered. So I find it bizarre, baffling, and demoralising."
Free school meals for infants in England has been identified in the bottom 20 per cent of lowest value for money programmes.
A Treasury source told The Times: "We were anticipating there would be some game-playing. But the spending review remains vital to getting a grip on the public finances."
A Department for Education spokesman said: "This government has made significant additional investment in education across early years, schools, and colleges, alongside steps to stabilise the financial sustainability of universities."
