§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on his Department's plans for the working party on school meals; who are the members of the working party; what meetings it has held; what plans it has for the future; and when he hopes to publish nutritional guidelines for school meals.
§ Mr. GummerI assume that the hon. Member is referring to the catering working group which was established last year by my Department, the Department of Health and the Health Education Authority. Its purpose is wider than suggested by the hon. Member and is to advise the MAFF-DH-HEA nutrition liaison group, an interdepartmental committee of officials, on ways of increasing the provision of healthier food in all types of catering outlets. In addition to representatives from the sponsoring Departments, the membership comprises representatives from the Department of Education and Science, the Royal Society of Health, the industrial catering sector—company staff restaurants—and the commercial sector. An independent academic chairman has been appointed. The Health Education Authority provides the secretariat. Three meetings have so far been held.
The working group's terms of reference are to consider and make recommendations regarding:
- (a) raising the catering industry's awareness of the importance of healthy eating to the national diet and inter alia national health;
155 - (b) providing guidance to caterers on achieving healthier choice in the methods of food selection, preparation and service;
- (c) identifying and advising those organizations responsible for catering education and training on the importance of including nutritional and dietary education within the curriculum of all courses.
The group is expected to meet approximately three times a year and its considerations will include the possible need for guidelines for "healthy catering practice" in all catering outlets, including schools.