§ Mr. WorthingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action he has taken to improve the nutritional value of schools meals since receiving the report of the school meals project in December 1995; and if he will make a statement on his proposals for future action. [30477]
§ Mr. AncramFollowing consultation with the Department of Health and Social Services and the Health Promotion Agency, the Department of Education has accepted that the existing nutritional guidelines for school meals should be reviewed having regard to the guidelines issued by the Committee on the Medical Aspects of Food Policy. A working group has been set up to take this review forward. The Department for Education and Employment is in the process of preparing voluntary nutritional guidelines for school meals in England and 477W Wales and the working group will be liaising closely with DfEE to ensure that all available information is taken into account before final guidelines are issued.