Assembly Committee wants to hear public views on Proposed Healthy Eating in Schools Measure

The Proposed Healthy Eating in Schools Measure Committee, which has been established to consider and report on the general principles of the proposed Healthy Eating in Schools (Wales) Measure 2008, has launched a public consultation to seek the views of interested parties.

The purpose of the proposed Measure is to make provision about the promotion of healthy eating in schools, in Wales. The proposed Measure will place a duty on Welsh Ministers, local education authorities, governing bodies and head teachers to promote healthy eating in schools in Wales. It will also mean that healthy eating becomes part of the inspection regime for schools and that governing bodies will be required to include healthy eating in their annual report to parents. Ministers will also have to report annually on progress on nutrition in schools and on the improving standards. The proposed Measure will also impose a duty on local education authorities to encourage the take up of school meals generally and to ensure that the highest percentage possible of those eligible for free school meals choose to eat them.

Kirsty Williams AM, Chair of the Committee, said “It is imperative that we give our children in Wales the best start in life in terms of looking after themselves and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Schools can play a huge role in doing this not just through their teaching but also by making the right foods available to their pupils at meal times. I would urge anyone who had a direct involvement in supplying and providing food in schools, also parents, teachers and children and young people to submit their thoughts on this important piece of legislation to the Committee”

The Committee would welcome views from interested parties on the following questions:

• Is there a need for an Assembly Measure to promote healthy eating in schools in view of existing initiatives within this policy area?

• Do you support the key provisions set out in the proposed Measure, i.e.

• What are the practical implications of putting these provisions in place?

• Are there further provisions that you would like to see added to the proposed Assembly Measure?

• Do you think the proposed Assembly Measure will achieve its overall purpose and aim, i.e. to enable a holistic, comprehensive ‘made in Wales’ policy on nutrition in schools to be developed and implemented?

Interested parties are invited to submit written evidence to the Clerk of the Committee at the address below, to arrive no later than Friday, 20 June 2008. If possible, please supply an electronic version in MS Word or Rich Text format, either by e mail to LegislationOffice@wales.gsi.gov.uk or on a disk. to: Legislatio Office, The National Assembly for Wales, Cardiff Bay, CF99 1NA.

The National Assembly normally makes responses to public consultation available for public scrutiny and they may also be seen and discussed at Committee meetings. If you do not want your response or name published it is important that you specify this at the end of your submission.

It is normal practice for the National Assembly to publish evidence provided to a committee. Consequently your response may appear in a report or in supplementary evidence to a report. The National Assembly will not publish information which it considers to be personal data.

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