HL Deb 16 November 1998 vol 594 cc976-8

2.45 p.m.

Lord Hardy of Wath asked Her Majesty's Government:

What arrangements are in place to monitor the standards of health and nutrition of children at school; and whether any deterioration in such standards has been noted since changes were made in the arrangements for school meals in the 1980s.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Health (Baroness Hayman)

My Lords, the health and growth of children have been monitored since 1972 by national surveys. These have shown consistently that all population groups of English and Scottish primary schoolchildren are growing taller and heavier than before and that some are getting fatter. Field work for another survey of four to 18 year-olds was completed in January 1998. Results are now emerging which should demonstrate any variations in diet and nutritional status of schoolchildren.

Lord Hardy of Wath

My Lords, I am grateful to my noble friend the Minister for that Answer. However, can she say whether particular consideration could be given to the fact that in some education action zones it has been found necessary to provide children with breakfast, as learning is not facilitated by empty stomachs? Could not special consideration be given to the standards of nutrition in those areas where the local education authority has introduced the most drastic changes in the provision of school meals?

Baroness Hayman

Yes, my Lords. My noble friend makes a very important point, especially about the way in which inequalities in health operate in this particular sphere. The Government have made clear that they intend to introduce compulsory national nutrition standards for school lunches. We are currently consulting on proposals in that respect. It is a recognition that, for many children, the school lunch is their main meal of the day. Therefore, its nutritional content is extremely important. I also take my noble friend's point about meals other than lunch being provided. Like him, I have seen the difference that that can make to the performance of some very troubled children. It actually gives them a start to the day, which includes a cup of tea and a piece of toast.

Baroness Sharples

My Lords, can the Minister say what proportion of schoolchildren request vegetarian meals?

Baroness Hayman

My Lords, sadly, now that I have heard the noble Baroness's question, I have to admit that I do not have the information at my fingertips to reply to her today. However, I shall certainly obtain that information and respond to the noble Baroness accordingly.

Lord Monkswell

My Lords, bearing in mind the fact that my noble friend the Minister advised the House that young children at school seem to be putting on weight, can she say whether part of the reason is that they are taken to school by car rather than walking there? Can my noble friend say what plans the Government have to reverse that trend?

Baroness Hayman

My Lords, my noble friend is absolutely right. As well as the elements of diet and the preponderance of fat in the diet of children, the lack of exercise is another important reason why children are getting fatter. That is important in terms of their health status, not only as children but later in life. Certainly part of integrated transport policy is to ensure that there are safe ways in which children can walk or cycle to school and get the exercise that will be extremely valuable to them for their future health.

Lord Rea

My Lords, is my noble friend the Minister aware that in Japan, which has the lowest level of heart disease in the entire world, highly nutritious school lunches are universally provided for all social classes in primary schools? Indeed, they are eaten in the classroom and are regarded by children as the best lesson of the day. Does my noble friend agree that popular and nutritious school meals, which, I emphasise, are not incompatible qualities, should be provided for all children, paid for by parents if they can afford it, and used as part of nutritional and health education for children that will last them for the rest of their lives?

Baroness Hayman

My Lords, I have seen a recent report in a national newspaper about the Japanese system and the value of the nutritious, attractive and nice to eat food—as my noble friend rightly mentioned—that is offered there. We should aim not only to provide well balanced and nutritious meals for children in schools but also to adopt a whole school approach to food and nutrition which involves wider health education, for example as part of the national curriculum for science, and therefore set in train good habits for the future.

Lord Ewing of Kirkford

My Lords, as regards the surveys mentioned by my noble friend, what percentage of schoolchildren now take school meals as opposed to the percentage that took them five years ago? Are the problems that my noble friend has mentioned solely related to the uptake of school meals?

Baroness Hayman

My Lords, it would be wrong to say that they are solely related to the uptake of school meals. A school lunch constitutes only one meal in the day and is available only during term time. We need to consider children's nutrition at all times and the advice that is given to them and the knowledge they gain about balanced and healthy diets. There has been a change in the pattern of school meals. A greater number of children do not take school meals. However, about 15 per cent. of all schoolchildren benefit from free school meals. As I said earlier, we need to pay particular attention to those children.

Lord Davies of Coity

My Lords, I heard what my noble friend said about schoolchildren putting on weight. She mentioned that children are often taken to school by car. But is it not the case that many children are taken to school by car for their own protection? If there is a weight problem, should not schools establish an exercise programme within the curriculum?

Baroness Hayman

My Lords, physical education must be an important part of the school curriculum. Whether children can safely walk or cycle to school are issues that need to be tackled both in terms of community safety and road safety. Often parents' fears exacerbate the situation in that they result in fewer people being on the street and fewer people walking their children to school. It is possible for some parents to walk with their children to school. In areas where there is traffic congestion that may not take any longer than driving the children to school and would be a great deal better for all concerned.