§ Lynne JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what her policy is on the use of commercial materials in schools. [50597]
§ Mr. TimmsWhile we welcome business involvement in schools, decisions on the use of commercial materials in this sector are for the schools themselves to make. My Department issued guidelines entitled "Best Practice Principles: Commercial Activities in Schools" last year, to help schools make informed and sensible decisions about this. The guidelines make clear that schools should satisfy themselves that the educational benefits of the commercial activity outweigh the potential disbenefits; that it is free of incentives to children to engage in unhealthy, unsafe or unlawful activities; that explicit sales messages should be avoided wherever possible; and that the level of any branding should be appropriate to the activity.