§ Mr. HoyleTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what measures he is taking to encourage local authorities to introduce free school milk for children aged seven years. [128236]
§ Mr. MilibandThis 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. Guidance produced to assist schools to implement regulations, which set nutritional standards for school lunches includes a strong recommendation from the Secretary of State that drinking milk is 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 possible increased costs of providing school milk.