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LACA (Local Authority Caterers Association) greatly welcomes the action taken by Zac Goldsmith MP who has tabled an Early Day Motion (EDM) in the House of Commons today (13th March 2012) to call on the Government to make all food in Academy schools comply with school food standards.  By doing so, he has joined the growing outcry on an issue that is threatening the future of healthy school meals in this country.  

Zac Goldsmith wants to see the school food regulations amended so that Academies and Free Schools have to adhere to the same mandatory Nutritional Standards legislation as for all other schools.  

LACA has been calling on the Government since early last year to establish a single set of standards that are applicable for all schools.  It believes that there is serious potential for the progress made in improving school food over the last six years to be de-railed by the lack of positive action by the Government to ensure universal Nutritional Standards for all pupils.

Commenting on the tabling of the EDM by Zac Goldsmith MP, Lynda Mitchell, LACA Chair says:

“LACA greatly welcomes Zac Goldsmith’s intervention on this issue and for bringing it directly to the attention of Ministers and MP’s in the House of Commons.  Despite approaches by LACA to the Education Secretary and other Ministers, the concerns of school caterers, as well as those of many other influential bodies and individuals such as Jamie Oliver, have fallen on deaf ears.  Despite the Education Secretary’s confidence that Academy Head Teachers will apply the same Nutritional Standards as for other schools.  LACA has advised that it has evidence that these are being breached or relaxed, in some cases, which is obviously to the detriment of pupils.”

“With Academies being open for longer hours, providing a wider range of meals from breakfast to after-school food, it is vital that the same Standards apply equally to these establishments so that parents can be confident that whichever school their children attend, they can be sure that the school food remains the best possible option for their children.”

“The inconsistency in the application of nutritional standards will inevitably lead to a significant negative effect on the school meals service.  It could wipe out the years of effort by school caterers.  It will also just waste the substantial investment in both time and money that has been made to date to ensure that children and young people have the opportunity of a daily nutritious meal at school which would help give them the best possible start in life”.
                                    
“Many of those in the industry who have worked so hard to provide the high class service that we have now, are frustrated that a two tier system is being allowed to develop and can see how this could impact on not only the provision of demonstrably healthier meals but also on the future of the industry.”

“Obesity levels are still rising and improving public health has been an ongoing government focus. The improvement to children’s eating habits that have been brought about by healthy school food over the last few years cannot be ignored.  The one million or more children who attend Academies should also be able to reap the benefits of nutritional standards.  Safeguarding their future health and wellbeing could be helped by making one small amendment to the legislation to ensure the same set of standards are applicable to all schools.  That’s one public health improvement initiative which involves a zero investment.”

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