§ Mr. HoyleTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what measures he will take with local authorities to ensure that all children under the age of 11 receive free school milk; [136069]
(2) what measures he will take to encourage education authorities to use the EU subsidy for provision of school milk; [136070]
(3) what financial support he will give to (a) education authorities and (b) schools to provide free school milk for all those aged 11 and under; [136071]
(4) what discussions he has had with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs regarding (a) the provision of free school milk and (b) the provision of free school milk to all those aged 11 and under. [136102]
§ Mr. Stephen TwiggThis Department supports the provision of free and paid for milk in maintained schools and encourages schools and local education authorities to offer it to pupils. In addition, our guidance on school lunches includes a strong recommendation that drinking milk is made available to all pupils as an option every day. Following a 20 per cent. reduction in the EU subsidy on school milk from January 2001, this Department agreed jointly with the Department of Health and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to top up the annual £1.5 million shortfall. This assistance helps prevent increases in the cost of providing school milk.