HL Deb 20 January 1999 vol 596 cc111-2WA
Lord Beaumont of Whitley

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What steps they are taking to encourage schools to take up (a) apples and (b) pears which are withdrawn from the market when the price is low to supplement the diet of school children; and whether they can facilitate this by lowering the minimum weight requirement of this scheme from 750kg. [HL257]

Lord Donoughue

The Intervention Board Executive Agency has recently issued an explanatory information sheet to schools, charities and other institutions such as schools inviting applications for formal registration as potential recipients of withdrawn produce.

Once applicants have been registered, the board will attempt to arrange for growers who withdraw produce to deliver to applicants in the area. The minimum weight requirement is set at approximately the weight of one pallet in order to encourage participation by growers. There is no reason why a number of schools could not group together nor why a local authority could not apply on behalf of a number of its schools.

In addition, the Government support a proposal currently with the Council of Ministers to allow for transport costs to be paid to growers who deliver such produce to schools. This will further encourage such actions.