New Law Would Make School Meals Measure-Up

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 26th Jun 2007

New laws given to the National Assembly for Wales, which allow AMs to introduce new legislation, could mean healthier school meals for local schools.

Michael German AM, leader of the Liberal Democrats in the National Assembly has entered a bid for a ballot for private members legislation, which, if successful, would make school meals healthier. All AMs will have the opportunity to enter one of two ballots for private members legislation tomorrow.

Speaking on his proposed measure, Mr. German said "The food our children eat has a powerful impact on their ability to learn and grow. That's why I have decided to submit this as a potential Assembly Measure with the support of my Liberal Democrat colleagues.

"I know from my involvement with the Farm to Fork project in Monmouthshire School in my constituency, how difficult it is to change established ways of feeding our children. But I also know it can be done.

If Mr. German's bid is successful and his private member's legislation was introduced as law it would place a duty on education authorities to ensure that meals provided at schools complies with nutritional regulations that ensure the provision of a meal that provides largely a third of a child's daily nutritional needs.

It would also allow education authorities to specify particular foods or drinks which fail to satisfy the nutritional regulations so that they can be banned from school premises.

Mr. German added, "Feeding our children shouldn't be about putting the easiest and quickest food on their plates, it should be a vital part of feeding their appetite for learning and feeding their ability to learn."

"This measure would introduce new nutritional standards for school meals, based on best practice and research, which would provide children with at least a third of their nutritional needs."