To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to increase the access to healthy food for primary school children.
Answered on
30 November 2021
The standards for school food are set out in The Requirements for School Food Regulations 2014. They ensure that schools provide children with healthy food and drink options, and to make sure that children get the energy and nutrition they need across the school day. The government encourages all schools to promote healthy eating and provide healthy, tasty and nutritious food and drink. Compliance with the School Food Standards is mandatory for all maintained schools (including academies), and further information on these are available here: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2014/1603/contents/made.
Under the benefits-based criteria, 1.7 million of the most disadvantaged pupils are eligible for and claiming a free school meal. We spend around £600 million per year ensuring an additional 1.3 million infants enjoy a free, healthy and nutritious meal at lunchtime following the introduction of the Universal Infant Free School Meal policy in 2014.