§ Mr. Paul MarsdenTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list for each local education authority the percentage of schools in which hot meals are served; and if he will make a statement. [110703]
§ Jacqui SmithThis information is not collected centrally. Under current education legislation, it is up to local education authorities, and schools with delegated budgets for school meals, to decide on their presentation and content, including whether a meal should be hot. The minimum nutritional standards for school lunches, which will be phased in from September this year, will apply to both hot and cold lunches. We plan to offer guidance on when hot meals may be appropriate.
§ Mr. CousinsTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will assess the impact on schools and school children in Newcastle of the delegation of financial responsibility for paid school meals to schools combined with the removal of local education authority subsidy for such meals. [112133]
§ Ms Estelle MorrisWe shall be keeping all new areas of delegation within the new Fair Funding framework under review, including school meals. With the new nutritional standards for school meals to underpin delegation, the transfer of responsibility for school meals to governing bodies opens up new opportunities for schools to provide what their pupils need.