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

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, external 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.

The payment would be made during school holidays to help with the cost of food

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."

Baker has said the education minister is attempting to "obstruct" the implementation of the bill.

"His proposals would give him control over when, if ever, holiday hunger payments begin.

"This is an attempt to delay and undermine legislation that has the support of the majority of parties in the assembly."

A Department of Education spokesperson said the minister's amendments "do not seek to delay or block the Bill".

"They reflect the Department's duty to manage its budget responsibly, taking account of financial pressures, competing priorities and the impact of new spending on existing services, particularly at a time when education faces significant financial challenges across the system," they added.

"The amendments fulfil that duty while preserving the Bill's intended purpose. The Bill's key provisions remain unchanged, including eligibility, payment levels, holiday coverage and the Education Authority's responsibilities."

'You have to say no': Families struggling with holiday food costs