School Children: Dietary Survey (Hansard, 21 April 1986)

§ Lord Stallard
My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.

§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health and Social Security (Baroness Trumpington)
My Lords, some preliminary results of the dietary survey of British school children were published on 10th April, but a final report must await full analysis of the extensive data which have been collected. This latter stage, which has been recommended by the Chief Medical Officer's Committee on Medical Aspects of Food Policy (COMA), is expected to take at least 18 months.

§ Lord Stallard
My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness for that reply, but with some disappointment over the time it will take to produce a final report. Is she aware that the preliminary report already confirms at least two of the fears that were expressed by many people during the passage of the 1980 Education Bill: first, that nutritional standards of school meals have lapsed; and, secondly, that for many school children fast foods and what are known as junk foods are taking the place of properly balanced meals?
Is she further aware that nutritionists, dieticians and physicians are already expressing the view that we are laying up for ourselves and for future generations an increased risk of coronaries unless we tackle this problem now and unless we include in schools some nutritional education for older children, who appear to be mostly at risk? Will the noble Baroness assure the House that she will bring these few matters to the attention of her right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Education in another place, so that some urgent action can be taken?

§ Baroness Trumpington
My Lords, with regard to the interim report, there are some encouraging aspects and some that cause us concern. I assure your Lordships that the Government will consider carefully 954 all comments and positive suggestions about improving the diet of our children. With regard to the nutritional changes following the Education Act 1980, with its effect on school meals, no national baseline information exists so no survey could have examined any such changes. The Government agreed that the effect of the new arrangements should be monitored.

§ Lord Ennals
My Lords, having spent most of the weekend at a food and health conference, may I ask the noble Baroness whether she is aware that I am very conscious of the poor dietary standards which still apply in this country, especially in relation to children? In its final form, will the report give figures for the number of children still receiving a school meal, which is so important for children from deprived families, and will those figures make a comparison between those now receiving school meals and those who were receiving them before the changes in the responsibilities laid upon local authorities?

§ Baroness Trumpington
My Lords, I cannot anticipate the findings of the final report but, as I said, the Government will consider carefully all comments and positive suggestions about improving the diet of our children because they recognise the importance of that issue.

§ Baroness Fisher of Rednal
My Lords, can the noble Baroness give us some reasons as to why we have to wait 18 months for the final report?

§ Baroness Trumpington
My Lords, the findings of the report will be handled by COMA, on whom the Government rely for information on this matter and that is the date that it has set.

§ Baroness Fisher of Rednal
My Lords, for the benefit of the House, can the noble Baroness tell us what COMA is?

§ Baroness Trumpington
My Lords, I thought I had done so already. It is the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food Policy.

§ Lord Stallard
My Lords, as an interim measure, will the noble Baroness try to ensure that school heads are aware of the fears that have been expressed in the preliminary report?

§ Baroness Trumpington
My Lords, with regard to the report, on the positive side the results show that our children are adequately nourished and are growing faster than ever before. On the other hand, they appear to be eating too much fat and that could have implications for the incidence of coronary heart disease in later life. We are aware that some experts have read a great deal more into the preliminary report, but I am bound to say that much of what has been said is alarmist and cannot be deduced from the information so far available. We are, however, well aware of the many concerns expressed, as will be the heads of schools.