IT’S a move which opponents have described as “pulling the rug” from underneath hundreds of thousands of poorer families.

Under reforms, critics claim more than one million children who had previously been entitled to free school meals could have to go without.

But the Government claims the controversial policy will in fact mean an extra 50,000 children will be eligible.

This week battle lines were drawn in the Commons when MPs were asked to vote on the reforms.

The Labour opposition had called for the vote but the party was defeated by 312 votes, including those cast by south Essex MPs.

Among those was John Baron, Conservative MP for Basildon and Billericay, who has fiercely defended the Government.

He said: “The proposed changes to the eligibility criteria have been designed to ensure that support is targeted where it is needed most, meaning that those on the lowest incomes remain the focus of free school meals.

“The opposition are saying that we are taking away free school meals from children. This is incorrect. No child will lose their meals during the rollout of Universal Credit as a result of these changes.

“Government plans mean an extra 50,000 children will be eligible for a nutritious meal at school by 2022.

“The opposition’s claim that our changes could leave over a million children without this is misleading.”

Under the reforms, the Government wants to introduce a means test for those on Universal Credit.

It would mean claimants with net earnings up to £7,400 will be entitled to free school meals.

Families are currently able to claim free school meals if they are on Universal Credit, as part of a package of measures to help the transition to the new benefits system.

Mr Baron said when Universal Credit was introduced, the Government was clear they would set a new criteria for free school meals.

He said: “To ensure that no one was adversely affected during its roll-out, the Government temporarily made Universal Credit a qualifying benefit for free school meals, regardless of income. As was made clear at the time, this was always an interim measure.

“The Government’s approach will mean that if you receive a free school meal now – you will continue to do so until the end of the rollout of Universal Credit, planned for 2022, and then to the end of ether primary or secondary school,whichever you are in at this point.

“If you receive a free school meal during the roll out of Universal Credit – you will continue to do so until the end of roll out and then to the end of ether primary or secondary school, whichever you are in at this point.”

Conservative Castle Point MP Rebecca Harris also accused the Labour Party of falsely claiming the Government voted to take away free school meals from one million children.

She added: “This wholly false claim and outright scaremongering from the Labour Party is a worrying development which will alarm claimants and in some cases may even stop them coming forward for money they are eligible for to support their families.”

South Basildon and East Thurrock MP Stephen Metcalfe (Conservative) added: “For the opposition to be misleading the public in such a deliberate way is disgraceful.”

MPs heard it would create a cliff edge in Universal Credit, where families would be better off earning less in order to qualify for free school meals.

Rochford and Southend East MP James Duddridge and Southend West MP Sir David Amess, both Conservative MPs, also voted to block Labour’s motion.

Shadow education secretary Angela Rayner told the Commons: “Many people, including MPs, wrongly believe that all children in poverty already get free school meals.

“That is not currently the case, but under the transitional protections under Universal Credit there would be, those million children would be entitled to that benefit.

“It’s through this secondary legislation that they’re pulling the rug from underneath those families.”

She added: “The current system would help over a million more children than under the plans we would vote on today.”

The Department for Education says it estimates that by 2022, around 50,000 more children will benefit from a free school meal compared to the previous benefits system.

The change is one of four Government plans that Labour has called for a vote on in the Commons.

They are proposals to end childcare vouchers and instead use the tax system, as well as changes to free childcare for two-year-olds and further changes to Universal Credit.