Local MP Alex Cunningham has strongly criticised the Government over failing to stem the tide of childhood obesity and ensuring a minimum standard of nutrition in school meals.
Questioning him as part of the Education Select Committee, Alex asked whether Education Secretary agreed that, given the seriousness of the problem of childhood obesity, the nutritional standards of school meals should be left to luck or chance? Academies and free schools are currently under no obligation to provide healthy meals.
Mr Gove sadly failed to acknowledge the scale of the obesity crisis and instead stated that strong intervention from the government could only achieve a limited amount and that he trusted education professionals to ‘be creative’ in providing school meals.
Alex said:
“I am shocked that the Government is taking such a complacent approach to the health and well-being of the nation’s children. 20% of children in this country are already obese and this number is only set to rise if we fail to take action.
“Schools have an invaluable role to play in teaching our children to eat healthier and for the Government to say to schools that they can feed pupils whatever they want, turkey twizzlers included, is quite simply irresponsible.”
