Food vouchers will be reintroduced for those on free school meals during the Easter holidays.

Chief Minister Alfred Cannan made the announcement in the House of Keys sitting this morning.

Mr Cannan expects the support to come into place at the end of this month.

He added that there would be ‘more substantial proposals’ for children during the summer holidays when rising costs will be felt in the island.

Mr Cannan said the increase in cost of living is a challenge that ‘affects us all’ and something that was ‘perhaps only witnessed by our parents’ generation’.

‘We are facing a perfect storm,’ he said.

He explained that government is working on five keys workstreams, across food, energy, transport, community and economy in response to this.

It comes after another substantial rise in the cost of gas and the effects being felt in food security as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the closure of Ramsey Bakery.

Treasury Minister David Ashford will make a statement in Tynwald later this month with ‘a further breakdown’ of support and spending.

Minister of Education, Sport and Culture Julie Edge has also summoned a sitting of Tynwald to consider the Easter Holiday Food Voucher Scheme 2022.

This sitting will take place at 10.30am on Thursday, April 7.