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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| MSPs support school meal changes | MSPs support school meal changes |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| A new law laying down nutritional standards for school meals has been backed by MSPs. | A new law laying down nutritional standards for school meals has been backed by MSPs. |
| They also want to see the new law extended to apply to all pre-school nurseries and independent schools. | |
| MSPs on the communities committee said there was a pressing need to tackle the poor health and poor nutrition of Scotland's young people. | MSPs on the communities committee said there was a pressing need to tackle the poor health and poor nutrition of Scotland's young people. |
| They unanimously supported the Scottish Executive's school meals bill, which will lay down minimum standards. | |
| It will apply to all food served in schools, including that offered in canteens, tuck shops and vending machines. | |
| Junk food will be banned and replaced by healthy meals and snacks and free drinking water. | Junk food will be banned and replaced by healthy meals and snacks and free drinking water. |
| All children in Scotland should benefit from nutritious food, activities and education to promote healthy lifestyles Karen Whitefield MSPCommunities committee | All children in Scotland should benefit from nutritious food, activities and education to promote healthy lifestyles Karen Whitefield MSPCommunities committee |
| The committee also wants councils to clamp down on chip vans parked outside the school gates. | The committee also wants councils to clamp down on chip vans parked outside the school gates. |
| The MSPs condemned the food and drink manufacturers for what they said was "an extremely limited range of healthy products". | |
| They said all children should be introduced to good healthy food at a young age. | They said all children should be introduced to good healthy food at a young age. |
| Committee convener Karen Whitefield said: "The committee wholeheartedly supports the introduction of a duty to promote health in education authority schools and the introduction of nutritional requirements for all food and drink served. | Committee convener Karen Whitefield said: "The committee wholeheartedly supports the introduction of a duty to promote health in education authority schools and the introduction of nutritional requirements for all food and drink served. |
| "However, all children in Scotland should benefit from nutritious food, activities and education to promote healthy lifestyles. | |
| "We call on the Scottish Executive to bring forward proposals which will ensure the health promotion duty and the nutritional requirements can also be applied to independent schools and the early years sector." | "We call on the Scottish Executive to bring forward proposals which will ensure the health promotion duty and the nutritional requirements can also be applied to independent schools and the early years sector." |
| Free meals | Free meals |
| As well as ensuring all food and drinks served in schools meet certain nutritional standards, the bill allows councils to provide free milk and healthy snacks. | As well as ensuring all food and drinks served in schools meet certain nutritional standards, the bill allows councils to provide free milk and healthy snacks. |
| The proposed legislation would also require local authorities to reduce the stigma of free school meals by protecting the identity of those receiving them. | The proposed legislation would also require local authorities to reduce the stigma of free school meals by protecting the identity of those receiving them. |
| A minority of MSPs on the committee complained the bill did not give councils the power to introduce free school lunches. | A minority of MSPs on the committee complained the bill did not give councils the power to introduce free school lunches. |
| Three members, Christine Grahame and Tricia Marwick of the SNP and Green MSP Patrick Harvie, wanted a pilot project to assess the benefit of having free school lunches for all pupils. | Three members, Christine Grahame and Tricia Marwick of the SNP and Green MSP Patrick Harvie, wanted a pilot project to assess the benefit of having free school lunches for all pupils. |
| But the majority of the committee backed the current system where most pupils are charged for their meal. | But the majority of the committee backed the current system where most pupils are charged for their meal. |
| The report also highlighted the problem of older students leaving school at lunchtime and buying food from nearby shops and fast food vans. | The report also highlighted the problem of older students leaving school at lunchtime and buying food from nearby shops and fast food vans. |