Scottish parliament introduces £ 63 million scheme to set nutritional
standards for children - first scheme of its kind in the UK
CHILDREN in their first two years of primary school are to be given
free fruit at playtime as part of an Executive bid to improve the nation's
health.
(Daily Record / February 20, 2003) -- The £63million scheme, announced
yesterday, will also set new nutritional standards for school meals and
provide bigger portions.
Education Minister Cathy Jamieson said: "The new measures will
help local authorities and caterers serve up healthier meals.
"Pupils can expect to see improvements such as better facilities,
fewer queues, more choice and generous portions of good quality food."
Health Minister Malcolm Chisholm said the nutrient standards for school
meals would be the first of their kind in the UK.
He added: "School meal facilities will no longer advertise or promote
food or drinks with a high fat or sugar content.
"Pupils will have healthy meal options and access to fresh chilled
drinking water with meals. Schools should complement this with access
to good quality tap water through the school day."
SNP education spokesman Mike Russell said the move was "a step
in the right direction".
But Scottish Socialist Party MSP Tommy Sheridan, who last year mounted
an unsuccessful attempt to legislate for free school meals for all children,
dismissed the Executive move as too little, too late.
He said: "Only a free, universal and nutritionally balanced meal
at lunchtime for all school pupils will begin to turn Scotland's diet
around." |
