This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Schools to junk junk food
11/09/2006
The publication today of the Schools (Health Promotion and Nutrition) (Scotland) Bill aims to ensure that only healthy, nutritious meals and snacks are served in schools.
Education Minister Peter Peacock visited Towerbank Primary in Portobello today where he found out how pupils produced a healthy eating book and told staff and pupils how the Bill will encourage healthy living.
The Bill is intended to:
- Ensure that food and drink served in schools meets strict nutritional standards
- Ensure councils promote the uptake and benefits of schools meals and free school meals
- Reduce the stigma associated with free school meals by requiring councils to protect the identity of those eligible for free school meals
- Give councils the power to provide pupils with healthy snacks
- Place health promotion at the heart of schools' activities
Education Minister Peter Peacock said:
"We are determined to overturn Scotland's tag as the sick man of Europe and we are taking action to make sure this happens.
"This Bill will help improve the health of our youngsters. It will make the healthy choices the easy choices while they are in school and it will ensure they are aware of the dangers of eating unhealthy food.
"Promoting the uptake of school meals and anonymising free school meals should mean more pupils will benefit from the healthier meals and snacks being served in Scottish schools.
"We are giving councils the power to provide free snacks, for example preparing the way for the return of free milk or fruit juice, or providing breakfasts to ensure that children get off to the best start in the day.
"This builds on action we have taken, under Hungry for Success, to improve school meals. It also builds on our Health Promoting Schools initiative and will make health promotion a central purpose of education to deliver real improvements in the health of our kids."
The Executive consulted on proposals for the Bill in the consultation paper 'Improving the Health and Nutrition of Scotland's Children' published on May 3, 2006. Over 370 responses were received and 96 per cent of respondents were supportive of the proposals overall.
Hungry for Success introduced nutritional standards for school meals. Primary schools had to meet these by December 2004. Secondary schools have until December 2006.