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Anne Bull, chair of LACA, has broadly welcomes  the announcement by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg on funding for the free infant schools meals initiative.

“It is vital to our children’s wellbeing that they eat a healthy, nutritious hot meal on a regular basis. The roll out of free school meals to all infants in primary schools will make a massive difference for children in terms of health, attainment and social mobility.

“This is a welcome announcement that recognises the extra costs some schools will have to provide the necessary kitchen and serving facilities.

“Catering staff will be working closely with their headteacher and leadership teams in their schools to ensure that that this new government money is used wisely and reaches those schools that need it."

At the Liberal Democrat party conference earlier in the autumn the deputy prime minister had announced at all children in primary schools in England up to the age of eight would get free school meals starting in September 2014.

The original cost for 2014/15 was put at £450m, but Clegg has now announced that an extra £150m will be found for new kitchens and dining rooms to cope with the extra demand created by the roll-out of free meals for all  infant pupils next year.

Details of exactly how the funding will be found to allow schools to build kitchens and expand dining rooms will be included in today's Autumn Statement by the Chancellor, George Osbourne.