The Department is taking a number of steps to improve the nutritional content of school meals.
New food-based standards were introduced in September 2006 for school lunches and from September 2007 for other school food. Nutrient-based standards were introduced for primary school lunches in September 2008 and will be introduced in secondary and special schools in September 2009.
We are investing over £650 million between 2005 and 2011 to help improve school food and keep school lunch prices down. This includes £220 million over the three years 2005-06 to 2007-08 to assist authorities and schools in improving school lunches and other school food; £240 million between 2008 and 2011 to support the costs of school lunches; £150 million capital funding to build and refurbish kitchen and dining facilities; and funding to establish FEAST centres to train catering staff. We are also providing an extra £6 million over the next three years for the School Food Trust to promote healthy food to young people and raise take-up.